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Two Vietnamese carriers have signed agreements with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, which will see five A350-900s destined for Vietnam Airlines, while additional A220 and A321neos make their way to Vietravel Airlines. Deliveries for these new aircraft are expected in 2033 and 2034, signalling a long backlog for aircraft from Airbus.
Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has ambitious plans to acquire up to 30 widebody aircraft as part of its strategic fleet development plan, with the latest five A350s supporting its long-haul fleet and international network aspirations.
Vietravel Airlines Eyes Growth With 50 Airbus Narrowbodies
Vietravel Airlines, a domestic and international scheduled and charter operator in Vietnam, also inked an order with Airbus to acquire more than 50 narrowbody jets. These airplanes are expected to commence delivery from 2029. The airline signed a letter of intent with Airbus, which marked an important step in the ongoing development of domestic and short-haul international capabilities.
The airline, which was founded in 2019, is wholly owned by the T&T Group. It maintains operating bases at both Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) (HAN) and Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) (SGN), and has a relatively small fleet of just five aircraft, including one Airbus A320-200 and four A321-200s. Two of these airplanes have been widely spotted and shared on social media, as they claim fame from being old Spirit Airlines airframes. Full fleet details below:
Variant | Active Aircraft | On Order |
|---|---|---|
Airbus A220 | – | 20 |
Airbus A320-200 | One | – |
Airbus A321-200 | Four | – |
A321neo and A321XLR | – | 30 |
TOTAL | Five | 50 |
Vietravel’s ambitious order would see the airline rapidly grow to open up new regional and short-haul operations with the A220 that otherwise are not currently served, whereas the A321 would support busy domestic routes between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, while also providing adequate capacity and range for international sectors across Asia, Oceania and the Middle East.
Flying High With Vietnam Airlines A350 Order
Including Vietravel’s order for 50 airframes, paired with Vietnam Airlines’ MOU for five, brings the total order to more than 55 aircraft for Airbus. The European plane maker has a strong presence in Vietnam, where the Vietnamese flag carrier already operates 80 Airbus aircraft.
For Vietnam Airlines, the additional A350s build on the 14 A350-900 already in service since first receiving the aircraft type in 2015. The flag carrier has made it clear that it has plans to add more than 30 new widebody planes over the next decade, and it continues to explore medium- and long-haul routes across Europe, Australia and North America.
Currently, the airline is utilizing leased aircraft while pursuing a dual strategy to meet the increasing global travel demand. The airline firmed up an order with American plane maker Boeing for 50 737 MAX 8, which will support additional frequency on intra-Asia routes.
Celebrating More Than 50 New Aircraft For Vietnam
While both airlines will be waiting several years to welcome the new aircraft, the agreements were celebrated alongside wider aerospace deals that were announced between France and Vietnam. The French President Emmanuel Macron commented that an order for the Airbus NH90 helicopter is close to being placed by the Vietnam People’s Army. These helicopters are planned for naval or maritime security defense operations.
The letter of intent for Vietravel signals a substantial shift for the otherwise small carrier with just five aircraft, as the market continues to grow in Vietnam. The country surpassed Thailand in July and August this year to become the second-largest Southeast Asian aviation market by seat capacity (behind Indonesia), according to OAG. Whereas for Vietnam Airlines, the additional widebodies will support the airline’s international growth ambitions and provide additional capacity to explore new markets.
Both aircraft orders were made during a visit to Paris by Tô Lâm, the country’s State President, and it is worth noting that, as Vietnam Airlines’ agreement is an MoU and Vietravel’s is a letter of intent, neither represents firm orders at this stage and could remain subject to change.
