Myanmar Air Transport

Myanmar airway international has 66 (and counting) airstrips around Myanmar country, of which 20 are served by car outside town. In many Myanmar towns you'll note new, spotless, largely empty airports serving, well, no flights. One Magwe resident said: "Our airport? It's for show. We don't get flights here". As with Myanmar airway international flights, domestic flights involved immigration and customs checks.

In the wake of Visit Myanmar Year in 1996, forced labour was reportedly used ready new Myanmar international airstrips. Many travelers avoid air travel, as taking a Myanmar flight means that more money goes to the Myanmar government.

Four Myanmar airway international airlines-three private ones and the government run Myanmar Airways (MA) serve Myanmar's domestic skyway most routes connect the big four: Yangon, Bangan (Nyaung u), Mandalay and heho (Inle lake). Daily Myanmar airway flights also connect Yangon with Ngapali Beach (Thandwe). Even more far-flung Myanmar airports, such as the ones at Myitkyina, kengtung and sittwe, see regular flight during the week. Following is the contact information for the offices in Yangon for the four Myanmar airlines; the regional offices are listed in the respective chapters.

Air Bagan(Myanmar international airway) (01-514741, o1-513322; www.airbagan.com; airline code AB; 56 Shwe Taung Gyar St, Bahan) new privately run carrier that started up in 2004.

Air Mandalay (01-525488, www.airmandalay.com; airline code 6T; 146 Dhamma Zedi Rd) running since 1994, this is a Singapore/Malaysia joint venture.

Myanma Airways (MA; 01-37874, 01-277013; fax 01-373828; 104 strand Rd)

Yangon Airways, ATR72-212, F-OIYB, Yangon(RGN), Myanmar, 26, Dec.1998

Yangon Myanmar Airways (01-383106; www.yangonair.com; airline code HK; MMB Tower, level5, 166 Upper Pansodan Rd) Thai joint venture operating since 1996, with a cute flying-elephant logo; their slogan you're safe with us is a poke at Myanmar government-run Myanmar Airways' safety record.

Air routes change in the air; that's how domestic we are.

These comments are particularly true of Myanmar Airways international flights, where dates and departure times are often not written on your ticket, so the airline doesn't have to honour the days and hours for which reservations were originally made. (In some cases, if officials are flying somewhere say to Lashio-seats may open to the public). Schedules are more reliable on the other three airlines, and between main destinations during the high season. Sometimes "direct" flights from, say, Bagan to thandwe (Sandoway) stop in Yangon.

You can find some schedule information on the airline websites and at www.myanmar.com/information/flight.htm.

One-way fares are half a return fare, and can usually be bought a day in advance. To buy a Myanmar flight ticket, you need to pay with US dollars or FEC, and bring your passport to the travel agent or Myanmar airline office. It's sometimes difficult to buy a Myanmar flight ticket that departs from a town other than the one you are in.

You can usually get discounts (maybe US$10 per ticket) by buying from an independent travel agent.

Myanmar Airway tickets are generally a bit cheaper than the other airlines. But that discount come with a ride on the government's dated fleet of Fokker f-28 jets and f-27 turboprops, and their iffy safety record. Rumours persists that safety procedures haven't been updated since the 1950s. It's also worth noting that some intelligence officials, arrested in October 2004 (when Prime Minister Khin Nyit was ousted), flew Myanmar Airway to their new homes in up country prisons. You have to go to Myanmar international Airway or the government's MTT office to purchase tickets on that airline.

All prices for airline tickets should include US$3 for "insurance". There is no domestic departure tax.

All international fights arrive at Yang on (Rangoon) airport (RGN), except Myanmar flights originating from Chiang Mai (Thailand) that go directly to Mandela airport can land DC 10s, but only Mandela's airport (far more modern and impressive than Yankton's) can land Boeing 747s.

The most common route to Yangon is via Bangkok, though Myanmar flights also connect Yangon with Calcutta and Delhi (in India), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Kenning (China) and Singapore.

Myanmar international Airlines with offices in Yangon and regular international links with Myanmar:

Air China 01-505024; www.airchina.com; airline code (A; B13/23 Narnattaw Rd, Kamayut Towship) flies to from kunming.

Air Mandalay (Map p90; 01-525488; www.airmandalay.com; airline code 6T; 146 Dhamma Zedi Rd) Connects Mandalay with Chiang Mai.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines (01-275882, 01-240922; www.bimanair.com; airline code BG; 106-108 Pansodan St) flies to/from Bangkok and Dhaka.

Indian Airlines Limited ( 01-253598; http://indian-airline code IC; 127 Sule Paya Rd) flies to/from Bangkok and Calcutta.

Malaysia Airlines (Map p102; 01-241007; www.malaysia.com; airline code MH; 335 Bogyoke Aung San Rd) flies to/from Kaula Lumpur.

Myanmar Airways International (MAI; 01-255260; www.maiair.com; airline code 8M; 123 Sule Paya Rd) flies to/from Bangkok, Delhi, Hong Kong, Kaula Lumpur and Singapore.

Silk Air (Map p102; 01-255287; www.silkair.com; airline code MI; 339 Bogyoke Aung San Rd) flies to/from Singapore.

Thai Airways International (Thai; 01-255499; www.thaiair.com; airline code TG; 1st fl, 399 Bogyoke Aung San Rd) flies to/from Bangkok and Chaing Mail.

The following are airlines with representatives in Yangon, despite not offering direct services to Myanmar.

Air france ( 01-255430; www.aerfrance.fr, in French; airline code AF; 339 Bogyoke Aung San Rd)

All Nippon Airways (ANA; 01-248901, 01-255412; www.ana.co.jp/eng; airline code NH; 339 Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Sakura Tower)

China airlines (01-245484; www.china-airlines.com; airline code CL; 353 Bo Aung Gyaw St)

EVA Air (01-298001; www.evair.com; airline code BR; 94 Bogalay Zay St)

Japan Airlines (JAL; 01-240400; www.jal.co.jp; airline code JL; FMI Bldg, 380 Bogyoke Aung San Rd)

KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines (01-274466; www.klm.com; airline code KL; c/o Myanma Airways, 104 Strand Rd)

Korean Air (01-661524; www.koreanair.com; airline code KE; 2nd fl, 112 pyay Rd, 8 Mile Junction)

See p358 for a list of domestic carriers.

Because most Myanmar airways flight to Myanmar will involve changes of planes, possibly to a different airline, in Bangkok, it's occasionally possible to save money (up to S$1000!) by taking a cheapest flight to Bangkok and then picking up a one-way ticket to Yangon for US$90 or US$100 from there. If you're getting quoted obscene fares to Yangon-say US$2500 or the equivalent from London or Los angles-look into getting tickets to Bangkok.

Once in Myanmar you can only buy international Myanmar airway tickets from travel agents or airline offices in Yangon Myanmar.

If you're coming from the USA, Malaysia Airlines' Access Asia Pass allows flights around 25 cities (including Yangon) over a 21-day period within Southeast Asia (covering all countries except Laos), and also Pakistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Taiwan and gulp Sweden.

The following online ticket agencies arrange RTW tickets (which will get you to Bangkok):

www.airbrokers.com
www.airstop.com
www.airtickets.com
www.aroundtheworlds.com

It's important to reconfirm your outgoing Myanmar airway international tickets from Myanmar a few days in advance for all airlines other than Thai Airways and Silk Air. If you've forgotten what time your flight is, the inside back pages of Myanmar Times Lists the weeks' international flight schedule.

STA Travel (www.statravel.com) often has good deals. It has branches in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. Some other locally based agents that can help with tickets.

China China international Travel Service/FIT Office (in Kunming 08713138888; king World Hotel) One-way fares from kunming to Mandalay or Yangon are about Y1500.

The Myanmar international departure tax of US$ 10 is not included with your air ticket. Have the US dollars in hand when leaving Myanmar country. Kat is not accepted.

HONG KONG HONG KONG Student Travel (27302800; www.hkst.com.hk, in Cantonese Only)

India STICT Travels (in Delhi 011-23357468; www.stictravel.com) Dozens of branches it offers a R770/13,500 on Myanmar Airways.

Japan No 1 Travel (in Tokyo 03-32056073; www.no1-travel.com) No direct flights, but you can change in Bangkok.

Thailand Pilot Purely Tour Ltd (in Bangkok 02-281-8565; wongakrakul@yahoo.com; 139 Khao San Rd, Banglampu) long-time resident company on Khao San Rd; sells one-way/return tickets to Yangon for B4400/7200.

You can often get pan-Asian fares cheaper in Asian than from elsewhere. However, here are some sample one-way fares for online tickets purchased outside Asia: from Bangkok (US$165), Chiang Mai (US$165), Delhi (US$470), Hong Kong (US$470), Kuala Lumpur (US$460) and Singapore (US$560).

Flights from Chiang Mai to Mandalay on Air Mandalay cost about B5000 (about US$130) one way

In Australia, STA Travel (1300 733 035; www.statravel.com.au) and flight Center 133 133; www.flightcenter.com.au) have offices throughout Australia. An online booking agent is www.travel.com.au. Sample return fares from Sydney to Yangon range from about A$1000 to A$1300, including tax.

In New Zealand, flight Center (0800243544; www.flightcentre.co.nz and STA Travel (0508782872; www.statravel.co.nz) have many branches. The site www.travel.co.nz is good for online bookings.

Travel Cuts (800667-2887; www.travelcuts.com) is Canada's national students-travel agency. For online bookings, try www.expedia.ca and www.travellocity.ca. It may be cheaper to buy separate tickets-to Bangkok, then to Yangon. There are far cheaper fares from New York than from Toronto to Montreal; one sample fare from Toronto to Yango was C$3200, while from New York the cost was US$1250.

Gulf Air and Emirates Air often have bargain flights from Pairs to Bangkok. Tickets for flights between Paris and Yangon could be bought for E860. Recommended travel agencies:

Anyway (0892893892; www.anyway.fr,infrench)
Novellas frontiers (0825000747; www.nouvelles-frontieres.fr,infrench)
OUT Voyages www.out.fr,infrench
Voyageurs due Monde (0140151115; www.vdm.com)

Find fares at these online agencies:
Expedia (www.expedia.die,inGerman)
Just Travel (0897473330; www.justtravel.de)
Last Minute (01805284366; www.lastminute.de)
STA Travel (01805456422; www.statravel.de)

Air fair (020-6205121; www.airfair.nl,indutch) A recommended agency in the Netherlands.
CTS Visage (06-462 0431; www.cts.it,initalian) A student-oriented agent in Italy.

Look for advertisements in Time Out, the Evening Standard and the Web-based TNT Magazine Online (www.tntmagazine.com). Geared towards students or travelers under 26 (but helpful to all), popular STA Travel (0870 160 0599; www.statravel.co.uk) has many branches around the UK.

Bridge the World (0870 444 7474; www.b-t-w.co.uk)
Flight Centre (0870 890 8099;www.flightcentre.co.uk)
Flightbookers (0870 010 7000; www.ebookera.com)
North-South Travel (01245-608 291;www.northsouthtravel.co.uk) part of the company's profits goes to projects in the developing world.
Quest Travel (0870 442 3542; www.questtravel.com)
Trailfinders (www.trailfinders.co.uk)
Travel Bag (0870 890 1456;www.travelbag.co.uk)
We found sample return fares from London to Yangon from $650 to $1000-often $500 more if starting from Belfast, so consider getting a cheap fare to London and leaving from there. A one-way ticket is usually only slightly cheaper than a return ticket.

Discount travel agents in the USA are known as consolidator (although you won't see a sign on the door saying Consolidator capital of America, although some good deals can be found in Los Angeles, New York and other big cities.

One of the most reliable discounters is Avia travel (800 950-2842, 510-558-2150; www.aviatravel.com), which specializes in custom-designed round-the world fares. Travelers aged under 26, including students, should check with STA Travel (800 781-4040; www.statravel.com) for discount fares.

Agencies recommended for making on-line bookings:

www.cheaptickets.com
www.expedia.com
www.itn.net
www.lowestfare.com
www.orbitz.com
www.travelocity.com
IF the fares quoted to you are high, considering buying two individual tickets-one to

Bangkok, then another to Yangon. Generally, flight to Bangkok are about US$200 from the west coast than from the east coast (it's about US$750 from Laos Angeles in the high season, not including Christmas) It's possible to book a return Bangkok to Yangon flight online for about US$300, which is about US$100 more than the cost of the day in advance return tickets easily bought in Bangkok. An early high-season sample fare for a return trip to Yangon was US$12150 from New York; curiously, it was much more from New York; curiously, it was much more from LA (about US$2000).