3 Vietnamese airlines commit to 40 Airbus aircraft
Vietnam’s Vietjet has placed a firm order with Airbus for 20 A321 single aisle aircraft to meet growth on its domestic and regional network. The purchase agreement, covering 10 A321ceo and 10 A321neo, was signed in Hanoi by Vietjet President and CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao and Airbus President & CEO Fabrice Brégier.
Vietjet and Airbus also finalized an agreement for the manufacturer to provide training services for flight crew and maintenance personnel at the airline’s new facility in Ho Chi Minh City. This will see Airbus oversee courses at the facility identical to those offered at the manufacturer’s own training centers.
Vietjet first took to the skies at the end of 2011 and now operates a fleet of 40 A320 family aircraft. The airline has placed firm orders with Airbus for a total of 119 A320 family aircraft, including 54 A320s and 65 A321s.
Vietnam’s Jetstar Pacific Airlines finalized a purchase agreement with Airbus for 10 A320ceo aircraft. The contract follows an MOU announced earlier this year and was signed in Hanoi by Chief Executive Officer of Jetstar Pacific Le Hong Ha and Airbus head Fabrice Brégier.
Based in Ho Chi Minh City, Jetstar Pacific is a joint venture between Vietnam Airlines (70%) and the Qantas Group (30%). The order from Jetstar Pacific marks the first direct purchase by the airline from Airbus. The aircraft will join an existing fleet of 12 leased A320 family aircraft flying with the airline on domestic and regional routes. The airline will use the new aircraft primarily to expand its international network.
Value-based airline Jetstar Pacific operates a total of 33 domestic and international routes as part of the larger Jetstar Group network that connects to more than 75 destinations in 17 countries with 4,000 weekly flights.
Vietnam Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Airbus for 10 more A350-900 aircraft. The aircraft will be used by the airline on non-stop flights to the U.S., beginning with services between Ho Chi Minh City and Los Angeles.
The MOU was signed in Hanoi by President and CEO of Vietnam Airlines Duong Tri Thanh and Airbus CEO Brégier.
Vietnam Airlines last year became the first airline in East Asia and the second in the world to operate theA350 XWB. The carrier already has four aircraft in service, with another 10 on firm order. in addition to the 10 aircraft covered by the MOU.
All three signings took place during the state visit to Vietnam of France’s President Fran?ois Hollande and were witnessed by Hollande and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang.
In the previous week, Singapore-based global aircraft leasing company BOC Aviation placed a firm order with Airbus for five A321 aircraft in addition to an order announced in January 2016 for 30 A320 family aircraft that included eight A321neo and seven A321ceo.
“We have increased our order for the A321 in response to the market trend and appetite for larger capacity single-aisle aircraft,” said Robert Martin, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BOC Aviation.
Source: Airbus