Come next month, helicopter services in the country will be provided by the Drukair. The Royal Helicopter Services is being merged with the Drukair and will function under its management. This, according to sources, is being done for better productivity and cost-efficiency.
BBS learnt that the plan for the merger was tabled last month and discussions took place regularly among relevant stakeholders which included the finance ministry, the DHI and the two airline companies. A decision is understood to have been made recently and a joint report was submitted to the cabinet for approval.
Although an official announcement is yet to be made, BBS has come to know that the cabinet has also approved of the merger.
The formalities of the merger are expected to be completed by the end of this month.
“We will try our best to get the synergies of the working from both companies. For example, the marketing and sales of Drukair are much more pronounced than that of the helicopter,” said Tandin Wangchuk, the CEO of Drukair Corporation Limited. “Together we may be able to bring out services that are seamless for a tourist to come via Drukair to Paro or Bumthang and then travel anywhere across the country by Helicopter service.”
As for the employees under Helicopter Services, the source said they will not be retrenched but will continue to work under the merger.
The Bhutan Helicopter service limited was established in 2015 and has almost 40 employees including a CEO.
Namgay Wangchuk, Paro
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
