Binh An
Vietnam Airlines aircraft park at a local airport in this file photo. Vietnam's airlines are getting ready for the ASEAN open skies pact - Photo: Saigon Times archives
Fast aircraft fleet, flight expansion
HSBC Bank (Vietnam) Ltd. said in a statement obtained by the Daily that its representatives joined Vietnam Airlines’ official celebration Monday for arrival of two brand-new Airbus A321 aircraft in Hanoi as a result of a deal signed last November. Accordingly, the bank arranged a US$112-million loan with Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG for the airline to purchase the aircraft.
The national flag carrier operates 83 modern planes for over 300 daily flights on 93 routes to 21 domestic and 29 international destinations but its aircraft fleet will expand significantly in the next two years. The SkyTeam Alliance-member plans to have 101 aircraft of different types, including Boeing B777, Airbus A330s and A321s by 2015, which is the year for scheduled establishment of the single aviation market in ASEAN.
The No. 2 airline in Vietnam, VietJetAir, is taking bold steps to add new aircraft to its fleet in an effort to stretch its wings in the ASEAN market and beyond. As envisaged in its development strategy, the private carrier will take delivery of six aircraft or more every year from 2014 in line with the pacts it clinched with Airbus and partners to buy and lease 100 planes of the A320 family.
Under the deal struck at the Singapore Airshow in mid-February this year, the airline confirmed orders for 42 A320neo, 14 A320ceo and seven A321ceo, plus 30 purchase options. The no-frills airline will also lease seven more A320 Family aircraft from a third party.
Luu Duc Khanh, managing director of VietJetAir, said these aircraft would be delivered later this year to support its fast network coverage in Vietnam and overseas.
At present, VietJetAir conducts nearly 600 weekly flights, using 11 Airbus A320s for 21 domestic and international routes. Next week, the three-year-old airline will commence a new route linking HCMC and the resort city of Dalat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.
Besides Bangkok, VietJetAir also eyes Singapore, Malaysia, China, South Korea and Japan.
Jetstar Pacific, another low-cost carrier, is proceeding with its plan to have more planes in its fleet and to fly to more destinations, not only in Vietnam but also elsewhere in Asia. The carrier told the Daily that it was pressing ahead with the launch of outbound flights this year, hopefully right in the summer schedule.
Late last year, Le Hong Ha, CEO of Jetstar Pacific, unveiled the routes in the offing included Hanoi-Phu Quoc, Hanoi-Dalat, Hanoi-Can Tho as well as Hanoi-Bangkok, Hanoi-Hong Kong, HCMC-Singapore and HCMC-Bangkok.
Early this year, Jetstar Pacific received one new Airbus A320 and will get four more to make its fleet 10 this year in preparation for the new routes.
Heavy investment in efficiency
Đăng ký: VietNam News
