Editor’s Note: This post is part of my Myanmar–Thailand trip to Asia. For more on this trip, check out my other posts on Myanmar, Thailand, and Japan.
After an epic day exploring Mandalay, and a wonderful stay at the Hilton Mandalay it was time to head off to our next adventure in Myanmar: The ancient city of Bagan.
Review: Air KBZ – Flying Mandalay (MDL) To Bagan (NYU) – With A View Of The Temples of Bagan On An ATR-72 (Bagan, Myanmar)
Mingun – been there, done that
Mandalay Palace (we stayed across the street!)
Flying On An Air KBZ ATR 72-600
The early morning flight from Mandalay International Airport (MDL) to Nyaung U Airport (NYU), aboard Air KBZ, would be the first of many flights within Myanmar on the standard domestic airplane of choice, the ATR 72-600.
It was the first time I had ever flown on Air KBZ, and the first time in 10+ years I had flown on an ATR-72. But I have to say, I found Air KBZ to be quite comfortable.
Flying at about 11,000 feet, this flight’s total airtime clocked in at about 20 minutes. Even so, the airline provided free beverage service (water or juice) and handed out Burmese candy.
Pilots provided flight and weather updates in both Burmese and English.
The ATR 72-600
Boarding from the back
The Air KBZ logo
Just the necessities: the safety card and barf bag
First class! Well, at least toward the front
Lost in translation? Grape flavored “Pizza Candy”!
The Final Approach: Landing At NYU Airport (With A View Of The Temples of Bagan)
Here’s the video of the final approach to NYU Airport. If you look closely you can see the temples of Bagan and the Irrawaddy River.
The Bottom Line Review: Air KBZ – Flying Mandalay (MDL) To Bagan (NYU) – With A View Of The Temples of Bagan On An ATR-72 (Bagan, Myanmar)
Arrival in Bagan (NYU Airport)
When we were planning our trip to Myanmar, I told my friend that I booked my ticket on Air KBZ. His response? “How safe is that? I’m not trying to fly on little propeller planes on airlines I’ve never heard of. Can’t we just book like JAL or something”?
I have to admit, I was kind of thinking the same thing. But, then I remembered ATR-72’s make a lot of sense in this part of the world and are even flown heavily in the surrounding countries (like Thailand). They are “right-sized” for the length of the flights and the length of the runways. By the end of our Myanmar journey, we came to love both the ATR-72’s and Air KBZ.
Air KBZ is perhaps the most popular airline domestically within Myanmar (as their counter-space is usually double the size of other airlines), and they fly the most flights daily to the most places. They even have a frequent-flyer loyalty program.
Flying around Myanmar in the dry season is heaven. The weather is great (not a cloud in the sky), the flights are smooth as silk and easy, and you can get from point A to point B in no time at all.
Air KBZ From MDL-NYU: Highly Recommended.
Cheers!
