Drukair – Royal Bhutan Airlines, the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bhutan and a fully owned subsidiary of the state holding company Druk Holding and Investments Limited (DHI), has signed an MoU with Airbus for three A320neo and two A321XLR aircraft to expand its international network.
The new aircraft are anticipated to start delivery in 2030. The airline plans to fly these aircraft out of Paro International Airport and the new airport at Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), envisioned to become Bhutan’s futuristic economic hub. From here, Drukair will expand its connectivity to Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia.
Drukair already operates four Airbus A320 Family aircraft consisting of three A319s and one A320.
Based on His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s vision, GMC, located in the southern plains of Bhutan, is emerging as a new economic engine for the Kingdom. As the national carrier, Drukair plays a pivotal role in enabling the prosperity of GMC and Bhutan by efficiently and reliably meeting growing transportation and logistics needs.
Tandi Wangchuk, Drukair CEO, said, “We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter in Drukair’s history, which dovetails perfectly with the development of Gelephu Mindfulness City and our efforts to expand Gelephu airport. Our investment in these state-of-the-art aircraft underscores our dedication to supporting Bhutan’s vision of holistic and mindful development.”
Drukair is headquartered in Paro, Bhutan, and operates scheduled flights to ten international destinations, including five countries in the South Asian region. Drukair also operates to three domestic destinations.
