International Airport Final Touchdown Set for July 9

The old airport has served Cambodia’s air transport sector since 1959. Photo_ Torn Chanritheara

PHNOM PENH – All flights in Phnom Penh will be transferred from Phnom Penh International Airport to Techo International Airport at midnight of July 9.

All operations will shift to the new airport in Kandal Stung district in Kandal province, about 20km south of the city. The airport cost $1.5 billion and covers 2,600 hectares.

The old airport has served Cambodia’s air transport sector since 1959.

State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) spokesperson Sin Chansereyvutha said the specific date and time for the closure of Phnom Penh International Airport depended on the final assessment and a second audit by the technical team, which will be conducted at the end of this month. 

“We have set July 10 as the launch date for Techo International Airport. However, this could change if there are any unresolved issues, as there are still a few matters that need to be finalized and cleaned up,” he said.

Chansereyvutha said the last flight before the closure of Phnom Penh International Airport will be Korean Air.

Phnom Penh International Airport was built by the French in 1957 and inaugurated on January 19, 1959, under the name Pochentong International Airport. 

To meet the growing number of air passengers, it was renovated in 1995 by SCA (Societe de Concession de l'Aeroport). It was completed in 2002 and has a capacity of five million passengers per year. On January 15, 2003, it was renamed Phnom Penh International Airport.

Techo International Airport, a large architectural project that incorporates Khmer design, is expected to accommodate up to 15 million passengers in its first phase by 2030.

The facility is designed to accommodate large, long-haul aircraft, including the Airbus A380-800 and Boeing 747-800.

Prime Minister Hun Manet said on March 4 that the country’s aviation industry experienced good progress in 2024, with 6.24 million passengers, up 22 percent. Flights increased by 14 percent year-on-year to 58,354, while air cargo increased by 40 percent to 77,852 tonnes. 

Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Rin Ousa for Cambodianess.

Cambodianess

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