Passengers traveling between Mawlamyine and Yangon say airfares on the Air Thanlwin route have nearly doubled, with round-trip ticket prices now approaching 7 lakhs kyats.
According to travelers, round-trip tickets on the Mawlamyine-Yangon flight, operated by Air Thanlwin, were priced at around 4 lakhs kyats in April. However, in May, prices surged as more passengers turned to air travel due to mounting difficulties with road transport.
“When rice prices go up, people get arrested for price gouging. But when airfares quietly rise like this, no one says a word, right now, just a one-way ticket costs about 350,000 kyats. If you don’t fly, the road and rail options are barely usable,” a female resident of Mawlamyine said.
Air Thanlwin recently announced that starting from June, flights between Yangon and Mawlamyine will operate four days a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Ticket prices are officially set at 310,000 kyats per leg for both directions.
The price hike has been attributed to rising fuel costs, and airline representatives reportedly insist that the new fare structure is in line with operating expenses. The same Mawlamyine resident added that the official prices are being enforced.
From January through late May of this year, critical portions of the Mawlamyine–Yangon highway including key bridges and railway lines have reportedly been damaged at least ten times. These disruptions have caused significant delays and raised serious safety concerns for travelers.
A frequent flyer, who often relies on air travel for medical and emergency purposes, noted the growing dependence on the airline despite soaring costs.
“In emergencies, we used to count on reaching Yangon in 35 minutes. Now, with these prices, it’s becoming unbearable. Many of us just can’t afford it. And honestly, the service isn’t even good enough to justify the cost,” she said.
In 2024, round-trip airfares for the same route were around 3 lakhs kyats per person, with flights operating up to six days a week.
Since the military coup, the Mawlamyine–Yangon road has seen frequent armed clashes, rigorous security checks at X-ray checkpoints, and repeated sabotage attacks on the highway. These ongoing issues have forced many travelers to turn to air transport, even as it becomes increasingly costly.
