Druk Air
Encyclopedia
Druk Air Corporation Limited ' onMouseout='HidePop("70715")' href="/topics/Wylie_transliteration">Wylie
: 'brug mkha' 'grul las 'dzin), operating as Drukair — Royal Bhutan Airlines, is the national airline of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Its headquarters are in the western dzongkhag
of Paro
.
Founded in 1981, ten years after Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
gradually began to open up the kingdom from self-imposed isolation, and seven years after welcoming its first foreign visitors, the airline commenced operations in 1983 with flights from Calcutta to Paro utilising Dornier Do 228
aircraft. A switch to BAe 146-100 equipment occurred in November 1988, and in order to meet increased demand, those aircraft were replaced in 2004 with two Airbus A319
s.
Druk Air operates a modest scheduled flight network within the South Asia
n region from its base
at Paro Airport
and currently consists of eight destinations in five countries.
Bhutan has drawn a Vision 2020 Plan, as part of its Five Year Development Plans
targeting several sectors for development, which includes improved external air links by 2017 that would enable increase in income from tourism from 100% (by 2012) to 150% (2017) coupled with completion of second National Highway by 2017. It has also signed several memorandum of understandings with the Government of India
not only to enhance airtraffic facilities and operations but also to help Bhutan during emergency situations of floods and earthquake affecting the Paro Airport.
valley
, which was initially used for helicopter
operations by the Indian Armed Forces
for the Royal Government of Bhutan
. After consideration by King Jigme Singye Wangchuck
and the Tshogdu
, Druk Air was established by Royal Charter
on 5 April 1981, ten years after the Druk Gyalpo, king Jigme Dorji Wangchuck gradually began to open up the Kingdom from self-imposed isolation, and seven years after welcoming its first foreign visitors.
Paro Airport is located deep in a valley 2235 metres (7,332.7 ft) above sea level, and is surrounded by mountains
as high as 4900 metres (16,076.1 ft). At the time, the runway
was 1200 metres (3,937 ft) in length, giving the Bhutanese government specific requirements for a choice of aircraft to be operated. They required an 18–20 seat STOL
-capable aircraft with operating capabilities which included a high service ceiling
, high rate of climb
and high manoeuvrability. The major requirement for the aircraft was that it must be capable of flying Kolkata
ParoKolkata, a 1200 kilometres (745.6 mi) round-trip flight, without refuelling, due to minimal infrastructure
being available at Paro for this purpose. Three different aircraft types were considered after flight test
s in India and Bhutan between 1978 and 1980; however, none were deemed to be suitable.
In mid-1981, the Indian government
set up a committee to study its own requirements for a light transport aircraft. Based upon this competition, the Bhutanese government ordered one Dornier 228-200
for delivery in January 1983, with the option for a second aircraft for delivery in late 1983. The first 18-seat Dornier 228-200 landed at Paro Airport on 14 January 1983, the exact time of landing, the number of passengers on board and even the direction the aircraft was parked on the airport apron being predetermined by the high lama
of Paro Dzong.
The airline inaugurated scheduled revenue flights on 11 February 1983, with Flight 101 departing Paro for Kolkata and returning the next day as Flight 102. For the first four weeks the flight was operated three times a week, after which it was increased to a daily flight. At the time of service commencement, Paro Airport consisted of the runway, a two-room air traffic control
building (with the ground floor acting as the check-in
counter) and a departure lounge
on the lawn. Prior to the establishment of the Department of Civil Aviation in January 1986, the airline was responsible for the operation and maintenance of airport infrastructure. The airline commenced flights to Dhaka
in Bangladesh
on 30 October 1986.
for a BAe 146-100
STOL
regional jet
. The purchase of the aircraft was financed by the government, obtaining, for the first time in the country's history, a commercial loan
. In 1988, the operational base was shifted from Kolkata to Paro Airport. On 21 November 1988, the BAe 146 was delivered to Paro Airport. With the introduction of the BAe 146, Druk Air was able to widen its network to link Paro with Delhi on 26 November 1988, Bangkok on 28 January 1989 and Kathmandu in April 1989. Druk Air also hired its first seven flight attendants in 1988 who were trained by Thai Airways International. In the first full year of operational service with the BAe 146, the airline achieved an average load factor
of 50–60 percent, more than the 40 percent which was expected, carrying 12,732 passengers over the 19891990 period. In 1990, the runway at Paro Airport was lengthened from 1400 metres (4,593.2 ft) to 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft) and reinforced for heavier aircraft. A hangar
was also constructed for the aircraft, which was funded by the Indian government as part of the Paro Airport Development Project.
The airlines's only aircraft was requisitioned by Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck
on 9 November 1990, in order to allow the king and his party to travel to Tokyo
for the coronation
of Akihito
as Emperor of Japan
. From Japan
, the King then travelled to Malé
in the Maldives
for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
summit between 21 November–23 November, and returned to Bhutan in order for the aircraft to re-enter service with the airline on 25 November. Due to a requirement stipulated by the Bhutanese government that all foreign tourists, with the exception of Indian nationals, enter and leave Bhutan by air, the country's tourism industry was brought to a halt, which saw the airline paying hefty penalties to disgruntled tour operator
s. This problem was somewhat alleviated when a second BAe 146 entered service in 1992, and on 11 November 1993, the airline introduced a 10 Executive Class on the aircraft. On 13 May 1991, Druk Air was registered under the Companies Act of Bhutan. Service to Yangon
, the capital of Myanmar, began on 6 January 1997.
During 2000–2001, Druk Air could operate with only one single aircraft for over a year due to a corrosion
defect in its A5-RGD aircraft in the wing tanks that was detected during a check at Woodford
. The wings were replaced. In 2002, an RJ70 was wet-leased from airBaltic
to cover for maintenance to A5-RGE.
Druk Air became the launch customer for the Avro RJX-85 in April 2000 when it placed an order with BAE Systems
for two aircraft, with deliveries initially scheduled to take place in November 2001 and January 2002. Delays in the first flight and certification
of the RJX pushed back expected delivery to Druk Air to after April 2002. BAe Systems cancelled the RJX program in November 2002, due to receiving orders from only two airlines, Druk Air and British European
. With British European threatening legal action
to enforce their contract
with BAE Systems, the aircraft manufacturer offered to fulfil the contract for Druk Air, although airline management decided against acquiring the aircraft, citing potential problems with sourcing spare part
s for the aircraft in future.
In order to find a replacement for the 2 BAe 146s, Druk Air management fielded submissions from Airbus
, Boeing
and Embraer
to determine their products' suitability to meet Druk Air's stringent operational requirements. Bombardier
was also invited by management to demonstrate the CRJ900 regional jet
, however, the airline was advised by Bombardier the aircraft would be unsuited for operations at Paro. In February 2002, the Airbus A319 became the largest aircraft to ever land at Paro Airport, when Airbus demonstrated the aircraft to the airline. By October, Boeing had withdrawn from the competition due to not being able to source an aircraft to demonstrate to the airline. With the Embraer E-190 yet to fly, it was expected that Druk Air would order the A319. However, the government had concerns regarding financing for the purchase, and in October the final decision was delayed. After a short period of time, the government instructed management to begin evaluations once again, and a Boeing 737-700
conducted eleven test flights at Paro Airport in February 2003, in which it was demonstrated it met the requirements of the airline for operation into Paro.
Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding
with Druk Air in July 2003 for two 114-seat Airbus A319-115
, powered by two CFM56-5B engines, for delivery in the second half of 2004. The purchase of the two jets, valued at 3,534.36 million Bhutanese ngultrum
(BTN), was the biggest single purchase ever made by Bhutan, and was largely responsible for a 250 percent increase in the Bhutanese trade deficit over the previous year for the financial year 2004–2005. The Bhutanese government issued BTN 1,767.18 million in government bonds to pay for one aircraft and for only the second time in Bhutan's history intended to seek a commercial loan
for the other aircraft. However, in October 2004 it announced it would instead seek a soft loan
for this purpose.
On 11 November 2003, the birthday of Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck
, Druk air initiated services to Gaya
, India. Bodh Gaya, 10 kilometres (6 mi) from Gaya, is the site of the Mahabodhi Temple
where Siddhārtha Gautama, the Buddha
, reached enlightenment
, and 30,000–40,000 Bhutanese make the pilgrimage
every year. Pilgrim
s have previously made the pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya via a 2–3 day overland trip from the Bhutanese border town of Phuntsholing
, and Druk Air management plans on acquiring 20–30% of this traffic, although the airline had yet to record a profit
on the route at of February 2006. The following month, as a result of Royal Bhutan Army
efforts to expel from Bhutan territory Indian separatist insurgent
groups, notably the United Liberation Front of Asom
and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland
, flights to Dhaka
were suspended from 29 December in order to prevent insurgents from using Druk Air flights to escape to alleged hideouts in Bangladesh.
The first Airbus A319 arrived in Bhutan on 19 October 2004; the date chosen after a Buddhist astrologist was consulted to ensure the aircraft arrived in Bhutan on an auspicious day in the Buddhist calendar
. Before entering service on commercial flights on 31 October 2004, Druk Air took their A319 on a country-wide flight in honour of the ascencion of Crown Prince
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to the Chhoetse Penlop
. The second aircraft was delivered by Airbus to Druk Air in December 2004.
In July 2005, the governments of India and Bhutan signed a new bilateral air services agreement
which increased the allowable number of weekly flights between the two countries from 12 to 49. In addition to destinations already served by Druk Air, the cities of Mumbai
, Chennai
and Guwahati
were included in their services agreement, with Bhutan being granted fifth freedom rights
from several Indian cities to onward destinations such as Yangon
, Dhaka
and Singapore
.
Domestic helicopter
service was inaugurated in November 2005, in line with a resolution
by the Council of Ministers in April 2001 which stated that domestic services should be introduced. Thirty heliport
s across the country were identified, and the introduction of services saw, for example, the 550 kilometres (341.8 mi) trip from Thimphu
to Trashigang
taking only one hour, instead of two to three days. The Eurocopter Ecureuil helicopter operated by the Nepal
ese operator, Air Dynasty, had by January 2006 seen 30 hours of service, netting Druk Air US$3,000 in profits.
Flights to Dhaka, suspended since 29 December 2003, resumed on 23 October 2006, and the airline was given rights to fly to Chittagong
and Cox's Bazar
by the Bangladeshi authorities. The airline announced plans in July 2007 to start scheduled flights to Mumbai via Kathmandu from March 2008, inline with the strategy
of Druk Air management to increase the number of Indian tourists travelling to Bhutan during the low season months of June through August and November through February. These plans were put on hold in March 2008, due to Paro Airport not being able to handle night flights and the airline only being able to secure landing slots
at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 3am. Plans for services to Hong Kong
, Singapore
, Abu Dhabi
, Dubai
and Sharjah
were also shelved.
The airline posted its first profit in 2007 of BTN 31.15 million. The two BAe 146 aircraft were sold to Star Perú in October 2007 for US$3.3 million, and left Bhutan for Peru
in November and December 2007.
Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on 11 November 2007 issued a Royal Kasho establishing Druk Holding and Investments Limited, a holding company
which would manage existing and future investments of the Royal Bhutanese government. As a result, seven government-owned companies, including Druk Air, had their ownership transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the newly-formed holding company. Incorporated on 13 November 2007, Druk Holding and Investments announced in December 2007 that given Bhutan's tourism industry being reliant on Druk Air, the head of the government agency overseeing tourism development in Bhutan would become the chairperson
of Druk Air, and would be responsible for improving the performance of the national airline.
Although the government of Bhutan goes to great lengths to prevent outside influences from intruding on Bhutanese culture
, Druk Air is not immune to problems which affect the airline industry and the world community
at large. In June 2008, citing hikes in the price of oil and the need to contain operational costs
, the airline reduced frequencies
across its network and announced an increase in airfares to offset the increased costs, whilst taking advantage of the lower cost of jet fuel
at Delhi, Kolkata and Bangkok airports. Due to its small network which is reliant on fifth-freedom rights
, Druk Air regularly leases
its aircraft to other airlines, such as Myanmar Airways International
, Indian Airlines and Bangkok Airways
in order to keep utilisation rates
on its aircraft higher than they would under normal circumstances, whilst at the same time earning extra revenue
.
The airline was due to begin flights on 20 April 2009 to Bagdogra Airport
in India, but had to delay the inaugural flight due to the lack of immigration and customs
facilities at the airport. The inaugural flight to Bagdogra Airport left Paro Airport on 18 June 2009. The ceremony being attended by S. M. Krishna
, the Indian Minister for External Affairs, and Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, the Bhutanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, making Druk Air the first international airline to operate into the airport. This link is also a new route to Bangkok. The flight schedule involves flights from Paro Airport to Bangkok via Bagdogra on Tuesdays and Saturdays and from Bangkok to Bhutan on Sundays and Wednesdays. From Bagdogra connecting flights will be available for many other destinations. The link has been introduced to enhance local tourism at affordable rates.
, connecting Bhutan with the outside world and supporting emerging inbound tourism
and export markets. The airline has, in recent times, been criticised for its unreliability, particularly by the Bhutanese tourism industry which is still in its infancy, and regards the very company upon which it relies, as its biggest threat.
In October 2009, the Bhutanese government planned construction works of an airstrip in Yongphulla
. The airstrip, which was expected to be 3900 feet (1,188.7 m) in length and operational by March 2010, would allow for service by small aircraft in the 1516 seat category. The project was being financed with Nu. 34 million from the budget which was previously allocated to the development of domestic helicopter services. The airstrip would only be operational during the morning hours due to high winds in the afternoon; making safe operations risky. Druk Air is conducting a feasibility study
into operating flights to the airstrip from Paro, as well as, two other airstrips which are under construction at Bathpalathang and Gelephu
.
In 2006 the Indian government
acting for the Bhutanese government, conducted a feasibility study
into the viability of an international airport
near the southern Bhutanese town of Gelephu
.
In the five-year plan (which covers 2008–2013) the sum of BTN 2,826 million had been allocated by the Bhutanese government for development of the new airport. A preliminary survey
was conducted by India
in May 2006 and the survey team from the Airports Authority of India
was to return and complete the final survey in September 2006. In October 2008 the project was shelved, and the Bhutanese Government decided that the airport at Gelephu would be used for domestic flights only. Since then the construction of a domestic airport at Gelephu has been scheduled to commence in late 2010 with the airport proposing to start operations in June 2011. The Bhutanese Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) has indicated that the airport at Gelephu will be an 'all-weather' airport that may be able to accept some international traffic in the future.
Under the Vision 2020 Plan, the Royal Bhutanese Government has identified the requirement for improved external air links by 2017, in an effort to increase tourism revenue 100% by 2012 and 150% by 2017. The airline is currently conducting feasibility studies into the commencement of operations to either Hong Kong or Singapore by March 2011. The airline's commercial manager has stated that preliminary studies show that Bhutanese traffic to Singapore would consist mainly of official travel, whilst traffic to Hong Kong would be mainly commercial, with good prospects for tourism development.
On 21 April 2010, an ATR 42
turboprop regional aircraft was delivered to Paro under a nine month lease. The aircraft was used on flights from Paro to Kolkata and Kathmandu, and also be on standby during the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
summit in Thimphu
at the end of April. Druk Air announced its intention to join the International Air Transport Association
in 2009.
The ATR 42 which is operated on a nine month lease from April 2010 will be evaluated by the airline with the possibility of a future purchase. The Civil Aviation Department's decision on which company will be given authority to operate on domestic routes in Bhutan will influence the decision on which aircraft the airline will purchase.
Druk Air's aircraft provide 20 business class seats and 90 economy class seats on its Airbus A319-115.
s, consisting of a contemporary kira
and tego. The uniforms were introduced for the centenary celebrations of the monarchy, as well as the airlines own silver jubilee
. The uniform was chosen by way of a competition in which five Bhutanese fashion design
ers submitted entries, with the winner receiving a BTN 75,000 prize. The textile
s used in the new uniform were chosen by way of a competition that was jointly organised by Druk Air and the United Nations Development Programme
to promote the Bhutanese textile industry
and culture
.
Wylie transliteration
The Wylie transliteration scheme is a method for transliterating Tibetan script using only the letters available on a typical English language typewriter. It bears the name of Turrell V. Wylie, who described the scheme in an article, A Standard System of Tibetan Transcription, published in 1959...
: 'brug mkha' 'grul las 'dzin), operating as Drukair — Royal Bhutan Airlines, is the national airline of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Its headquarters are in the western dzongkhag
Dzongkhag
A dzongkhag is an administrative and judicial district of Bhutan. The twenty dzongkhags of Bhutan are further divided into 205 gewogs. Some larger dzongkhags have one or more of an intermediate judicial division, known as dungkhags , which themselves comprise two or more gewogs...
of Paro
Paro District
Paro District is the name of a district , valley, river and town in Bhutan. It is one of the most historic valleys in Bhutan. Both trade goods and invading Tibetans came over the pass at the head of the valley, giving Paro the closest cultural connection with Tibet of any Bhutanese district...
.
Founded in 1981, ten years after Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck was the Third Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.He began to open Bhutan to the outside world, began modernization, and took the first steps toward democratization...
gradually began to open up the kingdom from self-imposed isolation, and seven years after welcoming its first foreign visitors, the airline commenced operations in 1983 with flights from Calcutta to Paro utilising Dornier Do 228
Dornier Do 228
The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier GmbH from 1981 until 1998. In 1983, Hindustan Aeronautics bought a production licence and manufactures the 228 for the Asian market sphere. Approximately 270 Do 228 were built at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany and...
aircraft. A switch to BAe 146-100 equipment occurred in November 1988, and in order to meet increased demand, those aircraft were replaced in 2004 with two Airbus A319
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
s.
Druk Air operates a modest scheduled flight network within the South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
n region from its base
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
at Paro Airport
Paro Airport
Paro Airport is the only international airport of Bhutan. The airport is located from Paro in a deep valley on the bank of the Paro river at an elevation of ....
and currently consists of eight destinations in five countries.
Bhutan has drawn a Vision 2020 Plan, as part of its Five Year Development Plans
Five-Year Plans of Bhutan
The Five Year Plans of Bhutan are a series of national economic development plans created by the government of Bhutan since 1961.The government of Bhutan has played a pervasive role in its economy and development...
targeting several sectors for development, which includes improved external air links by 2017 that would enable increase in income from tourism from 100% (by 2012) to 150% (2017) coupled with completion of second National Highway by 2017. It has also signed several memorandum of understandings with the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
not only to enhance airtraffic facilities and operations but also to help Bhutan during emergency situations of floods and earthquake affecting the Paro Airport.
History
In 1968, the Indian Border Roads Organisation built an airstrip in the ParoParo, Bhutan
-History:Rinpung Dzong a fortress-monastery overlooking the Paro valley has a long history. A monastery was first built on the site by Padma Sambhava at the beginning of the tenth century, but it wasn't until 1646 that Ngawang Namgyal built a larger monastery on the old foundations, and for...
valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
, which was initially used for helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
operations by the Indian Armed Forces
Indian Armed Forces
The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force, supported by three paramilitary forces and various inter-service institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command.The President of India is...
for the Royal Government of Bhutan
Politics of Bhutan
The Government of Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy; between 1907 and the 1950s however, Bhutan was an absolute monarchy. The peaceful march to democracy has been a steady one. The King of Bhutan is head of state. Executive power is exercised by the Lhengye Zhungtshog, or council of ministers,...
. After consideration by King Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Jigme Singye Wangchuck is the former King of Bhutan. He was the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in favour of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2006...
and the Tshogdu
Tshogdu
The Tshogdu was the unicameral legislature of Bhutan until 31 July 2007. The legislature had a total of 150 members...
, Druk Air was established by Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
on 5 April 1981, ten years after the Druk Gyalpo, king Jigme Dorji Wangchuck gradually began to open up the Kingdom from self-imposed isolation, and seven years after welcoming its first foreign visitors.
Geography of Bhutan
The Kingdom of Bhutan is a sovereign nation, located towards the eastern extreme of the Himalayas mountain range. It is fairly evenly sandwiched between the sovereign territory of two nations: first, the People's Republic of China on the north and northwest. There are approximately 470 kilometres...
as high as 4900 metres (16,076.1 ft). At the time, the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
was 1200 metres (3,937 ft) in length, giving the Bhutanese government specific requirements for a choice of aircraft to be operated. They required an 18–20 seat STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
-capable aircraft with operating capabilities which included a high service ceiling
Ceiling (aeronautics)
With respect to aircraft, a ceiling is the maximum density altitude an aircraft can reach under a set of conditions.The word ceiling can also refer to the height of the lowest obscuring cloud layer above the ground.-Service ceiling:...
, high rate of climb
Rate of climb
In aeronautics, the rate of climb is an aircraft's vertical speed - the rate of change in altitude. In most ICAO member countries , this is usually expressed in feet per minute and can be abbreviated as ft/min. Elsewhere, it is commonly expressed in metres per second, abbreviated as m/s...
and high manoeuvrability. The major requirement for the aircraft was that it must be capable of flying Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
ParoKolkata, a 1200 kilometres (745.6 mi) round-trip flight, without refuelling, due to minimal infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
being available at Paro for this purpose. Three different aircraft types were considered after flight test
Flight test
Flight test is a branch of aeronautical engineering that develops and gathers data during flight of an aircraft and then analyzes the data to evaluate the flight characteristics of the aircraft and validate its design, including safety aspects...
s in India and Bhutan between 1978 and 1980; however, none were deemed to be suitable.
In mid-1981, the Indian government
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
set up a committee to study its own requirements for a light transport aircraft. Based upon this competition, the Bhutanese government ordered one Dornier 228-200
Dornier Do 228
The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier GmbH from 1981 until 1998. In 1983, Hindustan Aeronautics bought a production licence and manufactures the 228 for the Asian market sphere. Approximately 270 Do 228 were built at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany and...
for delivery in January 1983, with the option for a second aircraft for delivery in late 1983. The first 18-seat Dornier 228-200 landed at Paro Airport on 14 January 1983, the exact time of landing, the number of passengers on board and even the direction the aircraft was parked on the airport apron being predetermined by the high lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
of Paro Dzong.
The airline inaugurated scheduled revenue flights on 11 February 1983, with Flight 101 departing Paro for Kolkata and returning the next day as Flight 102. For the first four weeks the flight was operated three times a week, after which it was increased to a daily flight. At the time of service commencement, Paro Airport consisted of the runway, a two-room air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
building (with the ground floor acting as the check-in
Airport check-in
Airport check-in uses service counters found at commercial airports handling commercial air travel. The check-in is normally handled by an airline itself or a handling agent working on behalf of an airline...
counter) and a departure lounge
Airport lounge
An airport lounge is a lounge owned by a particular airline . Many offer private meeting rooms, phone, fax, wireless and Internet access and other business services, along with provisions to enhance comfort such as free drinks and snacks...
on the lawn. Prior to the establishment of the Department of Civil Aviation in January 1986, the airline was responsible for the operation and maintenance of airport infrastructure. The airline commenced flights to Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
on 30 October 1986.
| 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | |
| Passengers flown | 2,854 | 4,480 | 5,928 | 7,776 | 8,700 |
| Distance flown ('000 km) | 64 | 125 | 125 | 205 | n/a |
| Revenue passenger kilometres ('000 km) | 1,612 | 2,531 | 3,349 | 4,381 | n/a |
Jet era
On 30 December 1987, a US$25 million order was placed with British AerospaceBritish Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
for a BAe 146-100
BAe 146
The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992...
STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
regional jet
Regional jet
A Regional jet , is a class of short to medium-range turbofan powered airliners.-History:The term "Regional jet" describes a range of short to medium-haul turbofan powered aircraft, whose use throughout the world expanded after the advent of Airline Deregulation in the United States in...
. The purchase of the aircraft was financed by the government, obtaining, for the first time in the country's history, a commercial loan
Loan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
. In 1988, the operational base was shifted from Kolkata to Paro Airport. On 21 November 1988, the BAe 146 was delivered to Paro Airport. With the introduction of the BAe 146, Druk Air was able to widen its network to link Paro with Delhi on 26 November 1988, Bangkok on 28 January 1989 and Kathmandu in April 1989. Druk Air also hired its first seven flight attendants in 1988 who were trained by Thai Airways International. In the first full year of operational service with the BAe 146, the airline achieved an average load factor
Load factor (transportation)
Passenger load factor or load factoris a measure of the amount of utilisation of the total available capacity of a transport vehicle. It is useful for calculating the average occupancy on various routes of airlines, railway trains or bus...
of 50–60 percent, more than the 40 percent which was expected, carrying 12,732 passengers over the 19891990 period. In 1990, the runway at Paro Airport was lengthened from 1400 metres (4,593.2 ft) to 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft) and reinforced for heavier aircraft. A hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
was also constructed for the aircraft, which was funded by the Indian government as part of the Paro Airport Development Project.
The airlines's only aircraft was requisitioned by Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Jigme Singye Wangchuck is the former King of Bhutan. He was the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in favour of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2006...
on 9 November 1990, in order to allow the king and his party to travel to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
for the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of Akihito
Akihito
is the current , the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession. He acceded to the throne in 1989.-Name:In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to . In...
as Emperor of Japan
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
. From Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the King then travelled to Malé
Malé
Malé , is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll . It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where...
in the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an organisation of South Asian nations, founded in December 1985 by Ziaur Rahman and dedicated to economic, technological, social, and cultural development emphasising collective self-reliance. Its seven founding members are Bangladesh,...
summit between 21 November–23 November, and returned to Bhutan in order for the aircraft to re-enter service with the airline on 25 November. Due to a requirement stipulated by the Bhutanese government that all foreign tourists, with the exception of Indian nationals, enter and leave Bhutan by air, the country's tourism industry was brought to a halt, which saw the airline paying hefty penalties to disgruntled tour operator
Tour operator
A tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a holiday. The most common example of a tour operator's product would be a flight on a charter airline plus a transfer from the airport to a hotel and the services of a local representative, all for one price. Niche tour...
s. This problem was somewhat alleviated when a second BAe 146 entered service in 1992, and on 11 November 1993, the airline introduced a 10 Executive Class on the aircraft. On 13 May 1991, Druk Air was registered under the Companies Act of Bhutan. Service to Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
, the capital of Myanmar, began on 6 January 1997.
Corrosion
Corrosion is the disintegration of an engineered material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of the word, this means electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen...
defect in its A5-RGD aircraft in the wing tanks that was detected during a check at Woodford
Woodford, Greater Manchester
Woodford is a suburban village at the southern extent of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Stockport, north-northwest of Macclesfield, and south-southeast of Manchester...
. The wings were replaced. In 2002, an RJ70 was wet-leased from airBaltic
AirBaltic
A/S Air Baltic Corporation, operating as AirBaltic and styled as airBaltic, is the Latvian flag carrier airline and a low-cost carrier, with its head office on the grounds of Riga International Airport in Mārupe municipality, near the capital, Riga...
to cover for maintenance to A5-RGE.
Druk Air became the launch customer for the Avro RJX-85 in April 2000 when it placed an order with BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
for two aircraft, with deliveries initially scheduled to take place in November 2001 and January 2002. Delays in the first flight and certification
Certification
Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit...
of the RJX pushed back expected delivery to Druk Air to after April 2002. BAe Systems cancelled the RJX program in November 2002, due to receiving orders from only two airlines, Druk Air and British European
Flybe
Flybe Group PLC is a British low-cost regional airline headquartered at the Jack Walker House at Exeter International Airport in Devon, England...
. With British European threatening legal action
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
to enforce their contract
Breach of contract
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....
with BAE Systems, the aircraft manufacturer offered to fulfil the contract for Druk Air, although airline management decided against acquiring the aircraft, citing potential problems with sourcing spare part
Spare part
Spare Parts may also refer to:* Spare Parts , by Status Quo* Spare Parts is a Doctor Who audio drama.* Spare Parts , by Servotron* "Spare Parts" , by Bruce Springsteen* "Spare Parts"...
s for the aircraft in future.
In order to find a replacement for the 2 BAe 146s, Druk Air management fielded submissions from Airbus
Airbus
Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
, Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
and Embraer
Embraer
Embraer S.A. is a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and executive aircraft and provides aeronautical services....
to determine their products' suitability to meet Druk Air's stringent operational requirements. Bombardier
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
was also invited by management to demonstrate the CRJ900 regional jet
Regional jet
A Regional jet , is a class of short to medium-range turbofan powered airliners.-History:The term "Regional jet" describes a range of short to medium-haul turbofan powered aircraft, whose use throughout the world expanded after the advent of Airline Deregulation in the United States in...
, however, the airline was advised by Bombardier the aircraft would be unsuited for operations at Paro. In February 2002, the Airbus A319 became the largest aircraft to ever land at Paro Airport, when Airbus demonstrated the aircraft to the airline. By October, Boeing had withdrawn from the competition due to not being able to source an aircraft to demonstrate to the airline. With the Embraer E-190 yet to fly, it was expected that Druk Air would order the A319. However, the government had concerns regarding financing for the purchase, and in October the final decision was delayed. After a short period of time, the government instructed management to begin evaluations once again, and a Boeing 737-700
Boeing 737 Next Generation
The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
conducted eleven test flights at Paro Airport in February 2003, in which it was demonstrated it met the requirements of the airline for operation into Paro.
Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
with Druk Air in July 2003 for two 114-seat Airbus A319-115
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
, powered by two CFM56-5B engines, for delivery in the second half of 2004. The purchase of the two jets, valued at 3,534.36 million Bhutanese ngultrum
Bhutanese ngultrum
The ngultrum has been the currency of Bhutan since 1974. It is subdivided into 100 chhertum .-History:In 1974, the ngultrum was introduced, replacing the rupee at par...
(BTN), was the biggest single purchase ever made by Bhutan, and was largely responsible for a 250 percent increase in the Bhutanese trade deficit over the previous year for the financial year 2004–2005. The Bhutanese government issued BTN 1,767.18 million in government bonds to pay for one aircraft and for only the second time in Bhutan's history intended to seek a commercial loan
Loan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
for the other aircraft. However, in October 2004 it announced it would instead seek a soft loan
Soft loan
A soft loan is a loan with a below-market rate of interest. This is also known as soft financing. Sometimes soft loans provide other concessions to borrowers, such as long repayment periods or interest holidays. Soft loans are usually provided by governments to projects they think are worthwhile...
for this purpose.
On 11 November 2003, the birthday of Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Jigme Singye Wangchuck is the former King of Bhutan. He was the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in favour of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2006...
, Druk air initiated services to Gaya
Gaya, India
Gaya is the second largest city of Bihar, India, and it is also the headquarters of Gaya District.Gaya is 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. Situated on the banks of Falgu River , it is a place sanctified by both the Hindu and the Buddhist religions...
, India. Bodh Gaya, 10 kilometres (6 mi) from Gaya, is the site of the Mahabodhi Temple
Mahabodhi Temple
The Mahabodhi Temple is a Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, the location where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, attained enlightenment. Bodh Gaya is located about from Patna, Bihar state, India. Next to the temple, to its western side, is the holy Bodhi tree...
where Siddhārtha Gautama, the Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
, reached enlightenment
Bodhi
Bodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
, and 30,000–40,000 Bhutanese make the pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
every year. Pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s have previously made the pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya via a 2–3 day overland trip from the Bhutanese border town of Phuntsholing
Phuntsholing
Phuentsholing is a border town in southern Bhutan, and is the administrative seat of Chukha District. The town occupies parts of both Phuentsholing Gewog and Sampheling Gewog. Phuentsholing lies opposite the Indian town of Jaigaon, and cross-border trade has resulted in a thriving local economy...
, and Druk Air management plans on acquiring 20–30% of this traffic, although the airline had yet to record a profit
Profit (accounting)
In accounting, profit can be considered to be the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market whatever it is that is accounted as an enterprise in terms of the component costs of delivered goods and/or services and any operating or other expenses.-Definition:There are...
on the route at of February 2006. The following month, as a result of Royal Bhutan Army
Royal Bhutan Army
The Royal Bhutan Army , or RBA, is a branch of the armed forces of the Kingdom of Bhutan responsible for maintaining the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty against security threats. The King of Bhutan is the Supreme Commander in Chief of the RBA...
efforts to expel from Bhutan territory Indian separatist insurgent
Insurgency
An insurgency is an armed rebellion against a constituted authority when those taking part in the rebellion are not recognized as belligerents...
groups, notably the United Liberation Front of Asom
United Liberation Front of Asom
The United Liberation Front of Asom is a separatist group from Assam, among many other such groups in North-East India. It seeks to establish a sovereign Assam via an armed struggle in the Assam Conflict...
and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland
National Democratic Front of Bodoland
The National Democratic Front of Bodoland, also known as NDFB or the Bodo Security Force, is a terrorist outfit which seeks to obtain a sovereign Bodoland for the Bodo people in Assam, India. The founder of the organization, Ransaigra Nabla Daimary, alias Ranjan Daimary has been arrested and...
, flights to Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
were suspended from 29 December in order to prevent insurgents from using Druk Air flights to escape to alleged hideouts in Bangladesh.
Airbus era
Buddhist calendar
The Buddhist calendar is used on mainland Southeast Asia in the countries of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Sri Lanka in several related forms. It is a lunisolar calendar having months that are alternately 29 and 30 days, with an intercalated day and a 30-day month added at regular intervals...
. Before entering service on commercial flights on 31 October 2004, Druk Air took their A319 on a country-wide flight in honour of the ascencion of Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to the Chhoetse Penlop
Chhoetse Penlop
Penlop of Trongsa , also called Chhoetse Penlop The spelling of this title varies widely in sources because transliterations of Tibetan script and transcriptions of Tibetan phonology differ...
. The second aircraft was delivered by Airbus to Druk Air in December 2004.
In July 2005, the governments of India and Bhutan signed a new bilateral air services agreement
Bilateral Air Transport Agreement
A bilateral air transport agreement is an agreement which two nations sign to allow international commercial air transport services between their territories....
which increased the allowable number of weekly flights between the two countries from 12 to 49. In addition to destinations already served by Druk Air, the cities of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
and Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
were included in their services agreement, with Bhutan being granted fifth freedom rights
Freedoms of the air
The freedoms of the air are a set of commercial aviation rights granting a country's airline the privilege to enter and land in another country's airspace...
from several Indian cities to onward destinations such as Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
, Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Domestic helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
service was inaugurated in November 2005, in line with a resolution
Resolution (law)
A resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion. For long or important motions, though, it is often better to have them written out so that discussion is easier or so that it can be...
by the Council of Ministers in April 2001 which stated that domestic services should be introduced. Thirty heliport
Heliport
A heliport is a small airport suitable only for use by helicopters. Heliports typically contain one or more helipads and may have limited facilities such as fuel, lighting, a windsock, or even hangars...
s across the country were identified, and the introduction of services saw, for example, the 550 kilometres (341.8 mi) trip from Thimphu
Thimphu
Thimphu also spelt Thimpu, is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The city became the capital of Bhutan in 1961...
to Trashigang
Trashigang
Trashigang District is Bhutan's easternmost dzongkhag .-Culture:...
taking only one hour, instead of two to three days. The Eurocopter Ecureuil helicopter operated by the Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
ese operator, Air Dynasty, had by January 2006 seen 30 hours of service, netting Druk Air US$3,000 in profits.
Flights to Dhaka, suspended since 29 December 2003, resumed on 23 October 2006, and the airline was given rights to fly to Chittagong
Chittagong
Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
and Cox's Bazar
Cox's Bazar
Cox's Bazar is a town, a fishing port and district headquarters in Bangladesh. It is known for its wide sandy beach which is the world's longest natural sandy sea beach. It is an unbroken 125 km sandy sea beach with a gentle slope. It is located 150 km south of Chittagong. Cox’s Bazar...
by the Bangladeshi authorities. The airline announced plans in July 2007 to start scheduled flights to Mumbai via Kathmandu from March 2008, inline with the strategy
Strategic management
Strategic management is a field that deals with the major intended and emergent initiatives taken by general managers on behalf of owners, involving utilization of resources, to enhance the performance of firms in their external environments...
of Druk Air management to increase the number of Indian tourists travelling to Bhutan during the low season months of June through August and November through February. These plans were put on hold in March 2008, due to Paro Airport not being able to handle night flights and the airline only being able to secure landing slots
Landing slots
Landing slots or Airport slots are rights allocated to an entity by an airport or government agency granting the slot owner the right to schedule a landing or departure during a specific time period....
at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 3am. Plans for services to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and Sharjah
Sharjah (city)
Sharjah is the third largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.Sharjah is the seat of government of the emirate of Sharjah...
were also shelved.
The airline posted its first profit in 2007 of BTN 31.15 million. The two BAe 146 aircraft were sold to Star Perú in October 2007 for US$3.3 million, and left Bhutan for Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
in November and December 2007.
Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on 11 November 2007 issued a Royal Kasho establishing Druk Holding and Investments Limited, a holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
which would manage existing and future investments of the Royal Bhutanese government. As a result, seven government-owned companies, including Druk Air, had their ownership transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the newly-formed holding company. Incorporated on 13 November 2007, Druk Holding and Investments announced in December 2007 that given Bhutan's tourism industry being reliant on Druk Air, the head of the government agency overseeing tourism development in Bhutan would become the chairperson
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of Druk Air, and would be responsible for improving the performance of the national airline.
Although the government of Bhutan goes to great lengths to prevent outside influences from intruding on Bhutanese culture
Culture of Bhutan
Cradled in the folds of the Himalayas, Bhutan has relied on its geographic isolation to protect itself from outside cultural influences. A sparsely populated country bordered by India to the south and China to the north, Bhutan has long maintained a policy of strict isolationism, both culturally...
, Druk Air is not immune to problems which affect the airline industry and the world community
World community
The term is used primarily in political and humanitarian contexts to describe an international aggregate of nation states of widely varying types. In most connotations, the term is used to convey meanings attached to consensus or inclusion of all people in all lands and their...
at large. In June 2008, citing hikes in the price of oil and the need to contain operational costs
Cost
In production, research, retail, and accounting, a cost is the value of money that has been used up to produce something, and hence is not available for use anymore. In business, the cost may be one of acquisition, in which case the amount of money expended to acquire it is counted as cost. In this...
, the airline reduced frequencies
Headway
Headway is a measurement of the distance/time between vehicles in a transit system. The precise definition varies depending on the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it, expressed as the time it will take for...
across its network and announced an increase in airfares to offset the increased costs, whilst taking advantage of the lower cost of jet fuel
Jet fuel
Jet fuel is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines. It is clear to straw-colored in appearance. The most commonly used fuels for commercial aviation are Jet A and Jet A-1 which are produced to a standardized international specification...
at Delhi, Kolkata and Bangkok airports. Due to its small network which is reliant on fifth-freedom rights
Freedoms of the air
The freedoms of the air are a set of commercial aviation rights granting a country's airline the privilege to enter and land in another country's airspace...
, Druk Air regularly leases
Wet lease
Aircraft leases are a number of types of leases used by airlines and other aircraft operators. Airlines lease aircraft from other airlines or leasing companies for two main reasons; to operate aircraft without the financial burden of buying them, and to provide temporary increase in capacity...
its aircraft to other airlines, such as Myanmar Airways International
Myanmar Airways International
Myanmar Airways International Co., Ltd. is the international airline of Myanmar, headquartered in Yangon. It operates scheduled international services to destinations mainly in Southeast Asia. Its main base is Yangon International Airport.- History :...
, Indian Airlines and Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways Co., Ltd. is a regional airline based in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, Thailand. It operates scheduled services to destinations in Thailand, Cambodia, China, Laos, Maldives, Burma, India and Singapore...
in order to keep utilisation rates
Utilization
Utilization is a statistical concept as well as a primary business measure for the rental industry.-Queueing theory:In queueing theory, utilization is the proportion of the system's resources which is used by the traffic which arrives at it. It should be strictly less than one for the system to...
on its aircraft higher than they would under normal circumstances, whilst at the same time earning extra revenue
Revenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
.
The airline was due to begin flights on 20 April 2009 to Bagdogra Airport
Bagdogra Airport
Bagdogra International Airport or Civil Aerodrome Bagdogra is a military airport that is open for civilian flights. The airport is located in the town of Bagdogra, about from the city of Siliguri in the Darjeeling district in northern West Bengal, India...
in India, but had to delay the inaugural flight due to the lack of immigration and customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
facilities at the airport. The inaugural flight to Bagdogra Airport left Paro Airport on 18 June 2009. The ceremony being attended by S. M. Krishna
S. M. Krishna
Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna , generally referred to as S. M. Krishna, is the Minister of External Affairs and a member of the Indian Parliament from Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha. He was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004 and the Governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to...
, the Indian Minister for External Affairs, and Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, the Bhutanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, making Druk Air the first international airline to operate into the airport. This link is also a new route to Bangkok. The flight schedule involves flights from Paro Airport to Bangkok via Bagdogra on Tuesdays and Saturdays and from Bangkok to Bhutan on Sundays and Wednesdays. From Bagdogra connecting flights will be available for many other destinations. The link has been introduced to enhance local tourism at affordable rates.
Contemporary developments
Until 23 August 2010 Druk Air was the only airline flying into Bhutan. The airline is a lifeline for the Bhutanese peopleDemographics of Bhutan
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Bhutan, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
, connecting Bhutan with the outside world and supporting emerging inbound tourism
Tourism in Bhutan
Tourism in Bhutan began in 1974, when the Government of Bhutan, in an effort to raise revenue and to promote the country's unique culture and traditions to the outside world, opened its isolated country to foreigners. In 1974, 287 tourists visited Bhutan. Since then the number of tourists visiting...
and export markets. The airline has, in recent times, been criticised for its unreliability, particularly by the Bhutanese tourism industry which is still in its infancy, and regards the very company upon which it relies, as its biggest threat.
In October 2009, the Bhutanese government planned construction works of an airstrip in Yongphulla
Yongphulla Airport
Yongphulla Airport is a small domestic airport located near Trashigang, a town in the Trashigang District in Bhutan. It is currently one of only two airports in Bhutan....
. The airstrip, which was expected to be 3900 feet (1,188.7 m) in length and operational by March 2010, would allow for service by small aircraft in the 1516 seat category. The project was being financed with Nu. 34 million from the budget which was previously allocated to the development of domestic helicopter services. The airstrip would only be operational during the morning hours due to high winds in the afternoon; making safe operations risky. Druk Air is conducting a feasibility study
Feasibility study
Feasibility studies aim to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of the existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats as presented by the environment, the resources required to carry through, and ultimately the prospects for success. In its simplest...
into operating flights to the airstrip from Paro, as well as, two other airstrips which are under construction at Bathpalathang and Gelephu
Gelephu
Gelephu is a town in Sarpang District in Bhutan. It is located on the Indian border, about 30 km to the east of Sarpang, the Dzongkhag headquarters , and has a population of 9,199 as per 2005 census.Gelephu was selected as a site for Bhutan's second international airport project, but it was...
.
In 2006 the Indian government
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
acting for the Bhutanese government, conducted a feasibility study
Feasibility study
Feasibility studies aim to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of the existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats as presented by the environment, the resources required to carry through, and ultimately the prospects for success. In its simplest...
into the viability of an international airport
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
near the southern Bhutanese town of Gelephu
Gelephu
Gelephu is a town in Sarpang District in Bhutan. It is located on the Indian border, about 30 km to the east of Sarpang, the Dzongkhag headquarters , and has a population of 9,199 as per 2005 census.Gelephu was selected as a site for Bhutan's second international airport project, but it was...
.
In the five-year plan (which covers 2008–2013) the sum of BTN 2,826 million had been allocated by the Bhutanese government for development of the new airport. A preliminary survey
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
was conducted by India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in May 2006 and the survey team from the Airports Authority of India
Airports Authority of India
The Airports Authority of India is an organization working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages most of the airports in India. The AAI manages and operates 126 airports including 16 international airports, 89 domestic airports and 26 civil enclaves. The corporate headquarters are at...
was to return and complete the final survey in September 2006. In October 2008 the project was shelved, and the Bhutanese Government decided that the airport at Gelephu would be used for domestic flights only. Since then the construction of a domestic airport at Gelephu has been scheduled to commence in late 2010 with the airport proposing to start operations in June 2011. The Bhutanese Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) has indicated that the airport at Gelephu will be an 'all-weather' airport that may be able to accept some international traffic in the future.
Under the Vision 2020 Plan, the Royal Bhutanese Government has identified the requirement for improved external air links by 2017, in an effort to increase tourism revenue 100% by 2012 and 150% by 2017. The airline is currently conducting feasibility studies into the commencement of operations to either Hong Kong or Singapore by March 2011. The airline's commercial manager has stated that preliminary studies show that Bhutanese traffic to Singapore would consist mainly of official travel, whilst traffic to Hong Kong would be mainly commercial, with good prospects for tourism development.
On 21 April 2010, an ATR 42
ATR 42
-Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type....
turboprop regional aircraft was delivered to Paro under a nine month lease. The aircraft was used on flights from Paro to Kolkata and Kathmandu, and also be on standby during the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an organisation of South Asian nations, founded in December 1985 by Ziaur Rahman and dedicated to economic, technological, social, and cultural development emphasising collective self-reliance. Its seven founding members are Bangladesh,...
summit in Thimphu
Thimphu
Thimphu also spelt Thimpu, is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The city became the capital of Bhutan in 1961...
at the end of April. Druk Air announced its intention to join the International Air Transport Association
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
in 2009.
Destinations
Druk Air operates scheduled flights to the following destinations:| Drukair destinations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Country | City | Airport |
| Asia Asia Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population... |
||
| Bangladesh Bangladesh Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south... |
Dhaka Dhaka Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city... |
Shahjalal International Airport |
| Bhutan Bhutan Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China... |
Paro Paro, Bhutan -History:Rinpung Dzong a fortress-monastery overlooking the Paro valley has a long history. A monastery was first built on the site by Padma Sambhava at the beginning of the tenth century, but it wasn't until 1646 that Ngawang Namgyal built a larger monastery on the old foundations, and for... |
Paro Airport Paro Airport Paro Airport is the only international airport of Bhutan. The airport is located from Paro in a deep valley on the bank of the Paro river at an elevation of .... (Base) |
| India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
Bagdogra Bagdogra Bagdogra is a small town in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India, which is surrounded by tea gardens. Bagdogra is well connected by rail and air to the rest of the country. Bagdogra Airport is the only airport in North Bengal, which is now an International Airport. -References:... |
Bagdogra Airport Bagdogra Airport Bagdogra International Airport or Civil Aerodrome Bagdogra is a military airport that is open for civilian flights. The airport is located in the town of Bagdogra, about from the city of Siliguri in the Darjeeling district in northern West Bengal, India... |
| India Flag A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist... |
Delhi Delhi Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census... |
Indira Gandhi International Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport of the National Capital Region of Delhi, India, situated in West Delhi, 16 km southwest of New Delhi city centre. Named after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, it is the busiest airport in India in... |
| India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
Gaya Gaya, India Gaya is the second largest city of Bihar, India, and it is also the headquarters of Gaya District.Gaya is 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. Situated on the banks of Falgu River , it is a place sanctified by both the Hindu and the Buddhist religions... |
Gaya Airport Gaya Airport Gaya Airport , also known as Bodhgaya Airport , is a public airport serving Gaya, Bihar, India. It is the second most busiest airport in Bihar after Patna. It is one of the holiest places of worship for Buddhist people... |
| India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
Guwahati Guwahati Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India... |
Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport , also known as Guwāhāti International Airport and formerly as Borjhar Airport, is the airport of Guwahati, Assam, India. The airport is managed by Airports Authority of India and also serves as Indian Air Force base... |
| India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India... |
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is an airport located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, serving the greater Kolkata metro area. The airport was originally known as Dum Dum Airport before being renamed in the honour of Subhas Chandra Bose... |
| Nepal Nepal Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India... |
Kathmandu | Tribhuvan International Airport Tribhuvan International Airport Tribhuvan International Airport is an international airport situated in Kathmandu, Nepal.Tribhuvan is the sole international airport in Nepal. There are two terminals, one domestic and one international... |
| Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... |
Bangkok Bangkok Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom... |
Suvarnabhumi Airport Suvarnabhumi Airport Suvarnabhumi Airport , also known as Bangkok International Airport, is an international airport serving Bangkok, Thailand. It was officially opened for limited domestic flight service on 15 September 2006, and opened for most domestic and all international commercial flights on 28 September... |
Fleet
The Druk Air fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of 1 May 2010):| Aircraft | In Fleet | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | |||
| Airbus A319-115 | 2 | 20 | 94 | 114 | |
| ATR 42 ATR 42 -Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type.... |
1 | 0 | 48 | 48 | Leased from DOT LT of Lithuania Lithuania Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark... |
The ATR 42 which is operated on a nine month lease from April 2010 will be evaluated by the airline with the possibility of a future purchase. The Civil Aviation Department's decision on which company will be given authority to operate on domestic routes in Bhutan will influence the decision on which aircraft the airline will purchase.
Druk Air's aircraft provide 20 business class seats and 90 economy class seats on its Airbus A319-115.
Uniform
In March 2008, Druk Air introduced a new uniform for its flight attendantFlight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
s, consisting of a contemporary kira
Kira (dress)
The kira is the national dress for women in Bhutan. It is an ankle-length dress consisting of a rectangular piece of woven fabric, wrapped and folded around the body which is pinned at both shoulders, usually with silver brooches, and bound at the waist with a long belt...
and tego. The uniforms were introduced for the centenary celebrations of the monarchy, as well as the airlines own silver jubilee
Silver Jubilee
A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, ruling anniversary or anything that has completed a 25 year mark...
. The uniform was chosen by way of a competition in which five Bhutanese fashion design
Fashion design
Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics or natural beauty to clothing and accessories. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social latitudes, and has varied over time and place. Fashion designers work in a number of ways in designing clothing and accessories....
ers submitted entries, with the winner receiving a BTN 75,000 prize. The textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
s used in the new uniform were chosen by way of a competition that was jointly organised by Druk Air and the United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
to promote the Bhutanese textile industry
Textile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....
and culture
Culture of Bhutan
Cradled in the folds of the Himalayas, Bhutan has relied on its geographic isolation to protect itself from outside cultural influences. A sparsely populated country bordered by India to the south and China to the north, Bhutan has long maintained a policy of strict isolationism, both culturally...
.