Air Bagan resumes operations

Air Bagan resumed operations using its own aircraft on October 1. 

The Myamna domestic carrier suspended flights in mid-August after its then sole active aircraft, ATR72-500 XY-AIK (cn 592), was involved in a landing incident at Yangon. 

Air Bagan suspends operations until October

Air Bagan (W9, Yangon) managing director Htoo Thet Htwe says his airline has suspended operations until October owing to fleet maintenance requirements. The airline operates a pair of ATR42-320s and an ATR72-500 on flights throughout Myanmar as well as to Chiang Mai in neighbouring Thailand.

Speaking to the Irrawady newspaper, Htoo denied rumours the airline's hiatus was a direct consequence of its owner tycoon Tay Za's alleged links with the ousted leader of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), Shwe Mann.

President Thein Sein dismissed Shwe, who is still Speaker of Parliament, from his post on Thursday last week for reasons that are still unclear.

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Accident: Bagan AT72 at Yangon on Jul. 24, 2015, Runway Excursion on Landing

XY-AIH during recovery (Photo: Timothy McLaughlin)

An Air Bagan Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-200, registration XY-AIH performing flight W9-424 from Mandalay to Yangon (Myanmar) with 49 passengers and 5 crew, landed on Yangon's runway 21 in heavy rain at about 5:30 p.m. L (11:00 a.m. Z) but veered left off the runway and came to a stop with all gear off the paved surface of the runway about 1100 meters down the runway, past taxiway D, between the runway and parallel taxiway A. One passenger received a minor injury.

Photos showing the aircraft during removal in the night suggest, that the aircraft had come to a stop with left main and nose gear collapsed. The removal works concluded by about 9:45 p.m. L and the airport returned to service.

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