Myanmar Airways International (MAI) will launch Yangon-Mandalay-Yangon flight service as its first domestic route aimed at ensuring safe and sound traveling of local passengers, official media reported Friday.

Using Airbus A-319 with the seating capacity of 120, the thrice- a-week Yangon-Mandalay flight will be run on every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday starting from May 26, said the New Light of Myanmar.

MAI runs its flight from Yangon to Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Gaya and Guangzhou with the use of eight Air Buses.

MAI is known as a joint venture between the state-owned Myanmar Airways and the private Royal Myanmar Transport Co., which was transformed from that with a Singapore-based company -- Jester Asia in 1993.

The share of the Jester Asia was taken up by the Royal Myanmar Transport Co.

In addition to the 64-year-old state-operated domestic Myanma Airways (MA), there are also five other private-run domestic airlines in Myanmar, namely Air Mandalay, Yangon Airways, Air Bagan, Asian Wings and Air Kanbawza.