Drukair Bringing More A320Neos & A321XLRs To Fleet
Intro
If you've happened to read my top 10 most beautiful countries in the world, you know that Bhutan is up there. For me, this is a very exciting development, not only for the airline but for the country as well!
Let's get into it!
New Planes
Currently, the national airline of Bhutan, DrukAir, has 3 A319s (which I have reviewed here) and 1 A320neo operating for them. These aircraft fly to multiple destinations around Asia, such as Singapore, Bangkok, Delhi, and Bagdogra, to name a few.
During my time at Amankora in Paro and Thimphu, I had a discussion with a Rinpoche who was working in their new town called "Mindfulness City." While still a long way off, work has begun to develop this new city in southern Bhutan.
Plans have now gone into action to develop this fleet with 5 additional aircraft, including the A321XLR.
My Issue With This/Ideas
Bhutan is one of the last landlocked untouched countries in the world in terms of tourism. For example, when you walk on the street, you won't see another tourist. Even in the likes of Somalia, I saw a few. However, at the same time, I am happy for Bhutan since the tourism sector could make them a lot of money (I guess I'm being a bit selfish, wanting to keep this country under wraps😅).
At the same time, my guess is that the Mindfulness City in the South will not have a 100$ per day tax built into it unless you decide to leave. Combining that with the new A321XLRs, which have a range of 4700nm, means they could theoretically connect Dubai, Frankfurt (pushing it), Istanbul, and Jakarta to name a few.
Don't expect this to come soon, as the new airport still needs to be built in Mindfulness City, the city needs to be built, and the planes have to be delivered. The expected date for all of it is around 2030, but Bhutanese time is quite slow😅 (in a good way, I love them).
Why Not Fly Into Paro?
Currently, the main airport is Paro. However, not only is this aircraft difficult to operate, but it also remains weight-restricted due to the short runway, steep climbs, and the altitude of the airport.
My second guess is that we might see the likes of Turkish Airlines, Fly Dubai, and a couple of other airlines starting to fly into Mindfulness City when it opens.
Final Thoughts
Mindfulness City in the south of Bhutan is set to open before 2030. DrukAir has placed an order for more A320neos and A321XLRs in the hope of boosting the tourism sector. The opening of the new airport in the south will be an interesting one to follow as we might see some more airlines trying to gather some slots. Only time will tell. I'm excited to see if DrukAir might install flat beds in their A321XLR's!!
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