Myanmar Airways International starts a new expansion phase with Seoul and Osaka services

Myanmar Airways International (MAI) is pursuing expansion in North Asia with new services to Osaka and Seoul. The expansion increases the airline's network to eight destinations and approximately doubles its weekly ASKs, pushing up its small share of Myanmar's fast growing but highly competitive international market.

The expansion will position MAI to potentially benefit from rapid growth in Myanmar's tourism sector. MAI, which became entirely privately owned in 2013, has not yet participated in the huge growth Myanmar's international market has enjoyed since the country opened up in 2011.

MAI risks being squeezed out if it does not grow. But its upcoming expansion is also risky as MAI will compete in the Korea and Japan markets with larger foreign carriers and eventually Myanma Airways, a government-owned domestic carrier, aiming to launch services to North Asia in 2015.