Well here’s a pretty cool niche aircraft order, especially given the implications that it has for the country…
In this post:
Drukair refreshes fleet with new Airbus jets
Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines is the national carrier of Bhutan, which is one of the coolest countries in the world, if you ask me. The airline has just signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for a new aircraft order.
The airline plans to pick up five Airbus A320-family aircraft. This includes three Airbus A320neos and two Airbus A321XLRs. Now, we’ll have to be patient, as delivery of these jets is only expected to start in 2030.
For context, Drukair’s fleet currently consists of four Airbus aircraft, including three Airbus A319s (an average of just over 16 years old) and one Airbus A320neo (just over four years old).
It seems pretty clear that Drukair plans on refreshing and growing its fleet, as these new aircraft will be much more capable:
- The A320neo is more fuel efficient, higher capacity, and has better range, than the A319 that it replaces
- The A321XLR is Airbus’ new long range jet that could allow the airline to introduce long haul flights, and it’s larger than any plane that Drukair currently flies
While it has nothing to do with this aircraft order, I can’t write about Drukair without linking to the carrier’s epic Jerusalema dance challenge video.
How Drukair plans to use its new Airbus jets
Currently Drukair flies internationally exclusively out of Paro International Airport (PBH), known for being one of the world’s most challenging airports.
While these newly ordered Airbus jets will fly out of Paro Airport, the country has other plans as well. Specifically, there’s a new airport in Gelephu Mindfulness City, which is expected to be Bhutan’s new futuristic economic hub. That’s where the country eventually plans on moving most of its air service, especially since the airport should be a bit easier to fly out of.
Now, I’ve gotta say, this whole thing seems like a really optimistic project that’s unlike anything we’ve seen before. Then again, Bhutan is also kind of unlike anywhere else on earth, so…
The airline plans to use these planes to also fly out of that airport, and to offer nonstop flights to Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia. Here’s how Drukair CEO Tandi Wangchuk describes these plans:
“We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter in Drukair’s history, which dovetails perfectly with development of the Gelephu Mindfulness City and work to expand the Gelephu airport. Our investment in these state-of-the-art aircraft underscores our dedication to supporting Bhutan’s vision of holistic and mindful development.”
Bottom line
Drukair has announced its fleet renewal plans, as the airline intends to add five Airbus A320-family aircraft to its fleet, though the planes will only start to join the fleet in 2030. This order includes three A320neos and two A321XLRs, which will allow the airline to not only expand capacity, but also to launch long haul flights.
I loved my visit to Bhutan several years ago, and can’t wait to visit again when the new economic capital opens, and when the airline has A321XLRs!
What do you make of Drukair’s Airbus aircraft order?
I always believed in having longtermn and futuristic plan for Bhutan. We are a small nation but we are now a global family. Think big and strive to achieve it. Noting is impossible I was made to believe. Learn from neighbours. Bulldoze mountains. Digbtunneks and educate Bhutanese increasing populations with the world skills . Send trained peope out and flow in investment in for greater Bhutan
OMG that video, I'm obsessed! Really also just from around the airport shows a glimpse of how stunning Bhutan is.
I assume the new airport is a prerequisite for these to enter service - I seem to recall the 319 was the largest eqp that could "safely" operate out of Paro - factoring in altitude and rwy length, nevermind the mountains.
That said, I'm not sure how I feel about the implied radical spike in tourism. The current de facto limit (based on flight availability) might well be quintupled. Do they have facilities for that...
I assume the new airport is a prerequisite for these to enter service - I seem to recall the 319 was the largest eqp that could "safely" operate out of Paro - factoring in altitude and rwy length, nevermind the mountains.
That said, I'm not sure how I feel about the implied radical spike in tourism. The current de facto limit (based on flight availability) might well be quintupled. Do they have facilities for that many visitors?
Alternatively, I under Drukair isn't averse to charter ops...
Kudos to Ben for introducing me to Bhutan when I traveled there in 2018, a year after your visit. Bhutan and Singapore alike do not need western tourists to lecture them how to grow their economies, competitively and sustainably. It reminded me that when the entire east Asia was closed to the world longer than those of western countries, countless readers urged them to open to foreign visitors because tourism is the vital revenue to...
Kudos to Ben for introducing me to Bhutan when I traveled there in 2018, a year after your visit. Bhutan and Singapore alike do not need western tourists to lecture them how to grow their economies, competitively and sustainably. It reminded me that when the entire east Asia was closed to the world longer than those of western countries, countless readers urged them to open to foreign visitors because tourism is the vital revenue to their economies. It is also worth noting that before China opened its economy to the world in early 1980s, it rejected the recommendations of MIT renowed economic Nobel prize winners and chartered its own path to economic growth. Opposite to the USSR's. Today, it is indisputable that China economy is a direct huge threat to ours. Prior to Covid, there were only seventeen licensed pilots who were allowed to fly in and out of Bhutan and all of them are Bhutanese. On a side note, the government compensates villagers who lost their livestock to snow leopards and urge them not to kill them. Contrasting to African countries that sell hunting licenses to kill endangered wildlife animals to generate more income.
Millions are happy to pay up to $50 a day to slum around grubby Las Vegas. $100 to keep somewhere as nice as Bhutan that way is a fair price in my opinion.
Actually was just in Bhutan and met with someone who was working with the government on the new "town" per say. The issue is that it's quite far away from the likes of Paro, Thimphu, Bumthang, and Punakha, which are simply incredible. It's almost as if they want to open for tourism without opening for tourism. I kind of get it since it is one of the most incredible countries in terms of untouched beauty,...
Actually was just in Bhutan and met with someone who was working with the government on the new "town" per say. The issue is that it's quite far away from the likes of Paro, Thimphu, Bumthang, and Punakha, which are simply incredible. It's almost as if they want to open for tourism without opening for tourism. I kind of get it since it is one of the most incredible countries in terms of untouched beauty, but tourism could be great for them.
Really excited to see the new A321LR coming, flew the A320neo in Business and it's a very very solid soft product.
BTW, if you are thinking of going to Bhutan, I know it's expensive but do it!
Nice planes, nice video and and I'd love to visit Bhutan someday but until they get rid of the outrageous $100 per night per person tourist tax I'll pass. Can't imagine they will have any meaningful economic growth in the tourist sector until they do
Bhutan isn’t trying to develop mass tourism. A smaller number of tourists paying much more money into the economy is a far more sustainable way for a small country to develop tourism. And nor is the country trying to grab as much money as it can: it thought GDP such a useless measure of “progress” that instead it developed its own Gross National Happiness index. I’m pretty sure they won’t miss your visit.
It’s definitely trying to grow its tourism revenue and attract somewhat more tourists in the years ahead. The projects the Bhutanese government has been authorizing speak to just that. But it neither wants nor can it handle hordes of tourists like its neighbors.
Chances are they will raise it to 200/day rather than getting rid of it ;)
I suspect that a substantial price hike is indeed the way it will go. Bhutan borders India and China — two countries where far more people have far more money to visit it now than 10 years ago. While it clearly seeks to have more tourists, they don’t seem eager to risk inviting in mass tourism and associated problems with that.
The tourist fee actually makes sense. Their claim to fame is not just scenery, but spirituality. It's kind of hard to maintain a serene, spiritual atmosphere when you have a million tourists buzzing about. So they are charging a fee instead, which gives them tourist revenue without all the tourists. Sucks for many of us, but great for them.
Imagine if they did something like that in Venice! It would be a totally different experience,...
The tourist fee actually makes sense. Their claim to fame is not just scenery, but spirituality. It's kind of hard to maintain a serene, spiritual atmosphere when you have a million tourists buzzing about. So they are charging a fee instead, which gives them tourist revenue without all the tourists. Sucks for many of us, but great for them.
Imagine if they did something like that in Venice! It would be a totally different experience, and many would pay it while the people who actually live in Venice would enjoy a more normal life.
As others have said, Bhutan isn't interested in mass tourism. They have seen what it's done to places like Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, and Venice. Nobody wants that. If you can't afford the $100 per day fee, then Bhutan is just not for you. Maybe try Las Vegas or Barcelona.
"If you can't afford the $100..." I, like many people, often travel with my wife and kids. And I wouldn't go to a place like Bhutan without spending a week to 10 days. So up to $4k in extra fees to the government is not an insignificant amount on top of the actual travel costs- especially if they plan to double it. I guess anyone who is wealthy enough to belittle that thinks the whole...
"If you can't afford the $100..." I, like many people, often travel with my wife and kids. And I wouldn't go to a place like Bhutan without spending a week to 10 days. So up to $4k in extra fees to the government is not an insignificant amount on top of the actual travel costs- especially if they plan to double it. I guess anyone who is wealthy enough to belittle that thinks the whole world has unlimited resources for travel, which makes me wonder if Bhutan is for YOU. If countries want to limit the number of tourist visas, maybe instituting a cap or lottery system for sustainable and manageable tourism would be a better solution than a cash payment system to ensure that only the entitled, arrogant wealthy leisure travelers with money to burn can explore their "spirituality".
I’ll gladly pay $100 a day to visit Bhutan knowing that I won’t bump into Larry there. In fact, I’ll gladly pay twice that amount, which is how much the tourist tax is from next year.