omorrow by a charter flight of Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT). Several hundred of the tourists visiting Siem Reap -- home to the world famous Angkor Wat complex -- were stranded because of the abrupt shutdown of Angkor Airways last week due to financial troubles.
The tourists were gradually taken back by indirect flights provided by other of Taiwan's air carriers, including China Airlines (CAL) flights with stopovers at other cities like Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia, or Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam.
There are presently 148 tourists who flew to Cambodian on Angkor Airways tickets who will be able to return to Taiwan on an FAT charter plan that will fly directly from Siem Reap to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport tomorrow.
The FAT flight was arranged after intensive negotiations involving FAT and local travel agencies with a final nod from the government's Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA).
The direct charter flights from Taiwan to Angkor Wat remains a lucrative line because of high interest in the historic and religious sites in the area following active promotion by travel agencies.
Since Angkor Airways has suspended the flight service, other air carriers have expressed keen interest to continue providing the charter flights.
Some travel agencies have stepped up persuasion, urging FAT to fill the void. But a couple of other Taiwan-based airlines are expected to compete for the lucrative line also.
A final decision will have to be made by the CAA in Taiwan and Cambodia's aviation authorities based on the aviation agreement reached between the two sides.
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