How to plan business jet operations to Cambodia

This is the first part of a series on business aviation to Cambodia

While commercial air traffic in Cambodia is rapidly increasing, with new international routes being launched by ANA , Hong Kong Airlines, Thai Smile, Emirates SkyCargo  and Cambodia’s own Angkor Air, business aviation is still relatively uncommon. Nevertheless, there are many private and corporate operators looking to fly to the kingdom and in order to complete a successful trip, there are a few things to keep in mind. This first segment will cover the main international airports of the country as well as how to plan your transportation and hotel requirements.

(1/6) Airports:

The Kingdom of Cambodia maintains three international airports (all of them are airports of entry), which are Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH/VDPP) serving the capital city of Cambodia, Siem Reap International Airport (VDSR/REP), the main gateway to the temples of Angkor Wat, and Sihanoukville International Airport (VDSV/KOS) serving the beach destinations in the South.
There are rumours about a second international airport being planned for Phnom Penh, but even if it turns out to be true it will be a while before it is operational.

Siem Reap International Airport

All three international airports are suitable for business jet operations and parking is generally not an issue. However, there are slot restrictions to be followed and especially during peak hours in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, the arrival and departure times might have to be adjusted. More on the slot application process and landing permits will follow in part two of this series.

Charter operators with larger aircraft should be warned as the biggest aircraft accepted in Cambodia’s airports are B777 in VDPP (some exceptions can be made), B767 in VDSR and B737 in VDSV.

The three main airports have the following specifications and operational restrictions.

The ground handling for all locations is done exclusively by Cambodia Airports, which holds the concession for the operation of all three international airports and is owned by France’s VINCI group (70%) and Muhibbah Masteron Cambodia (30%), a Malaysian-Cambodian joint venture.

Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports both have separate VIP terminals, which can be used by business aircraft operators, if requested and reserved in time by their local support company. These terminals include a CIQ booth for visa and passport stamping, as well as a lounge with beverages. In Sihanoukville, no such VIP terminal exists, only a separate VIP lounge in the main terminal.

VIP Terminal in Siem Reap

In all international airports there is a possibility to buy Cambodian SIM cards just outside the main terminal upon arrival which can be useful if your cellphone plan doesn’t offer international roaming.

Transportation

For ground transportation to the city, taxis are generally the cheapest option, however the downsides are the often poor conditions of the vehicles, language barriers with the driver and, of course, the possibility to fall prey to a scam.

A more comfortable and safe solution is to have your local support company set you up with a designated driver. The driver’s name and contact numbers are known beforehand and you can be escorted directly to the car upon arrival. The cars are of higher quality (luxury models can be requested as well), the drivers speak English and are already briefed on where you are going.
To make sure that there is enough space available in your prearranged trans-portation, you should always give a rough indication of the amount of baggage the crew or passengers are carrying.

During rush hour and on public holidays, transport times to and from the airport can be much longer than expected. Therefore, always liaise with your transport provider and inform them about your preferred pick-up time before departure, as well as indicate at what time you want to be at the airport. As a local company, they will be able to better estimate how long your transfer is going to take.

Traffic in Phnom Penh

Accommodation

In Cambodia, there is a large number of hotels of all service categories to choose from. However, there are a some aspects to keep in mind when you make you decide on accommodation:

• Flexibility: If you anticipate schedule changes, you want your hotel booking to be as flexible as possible to avoid hotel cancellation charges
• Check-in/-out: Consider your arrival and departure time at the airport and determine if you need a late check-in or check-out, which is often available for a small fee. Don’t forget to factor in the ground transportation time as well.
• Location: Especially for shorter stops, the proximity to the airport is often of primary importance. Hotels such as the Dara Airport hotel (4 km from Phnom Penh International) are favored by crews who want to avoid the downtown traffic jams. 
• Facilities: Make sure your hotel offers WiFi, Printing/Office center and enquire about the breakfast hours

Consider to ask you local support company for help or a recommendation during your hotel booking. Sometimes they can even negotiate special discounts for crew stays and/or achieve more flexibility versus booking it yourself.

In conclusion, the international airports of Cambodia are well suited for business jet operations both in terms of organization and facilities. However, flying to a developing country like Cambodia, you should still make sure all preparation is thorough to avoid any bad surprises.  

The next installment of this series will cover the landing permit and slot requirements for your flight to Cambodia.

(Photo credits: Wikimedia commons; 123RF.COM photographers: 
曹 元; Kenneth Sponsler) 
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