VIETNAM: South Korean Tourists Love Visiting Vietnam

South Korean arrivals are soaring and Vietnam’s increasingly lucrative tourism industry is changing to accommodate the influx. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are abuzz with Korean culture while beachside destinations like Da Nang, Hoi An and Phu Quoc are tailored for Korean tastes

Vietnam for a long time has been a backpackers’ paradise. Its vibrant street-food culture, a host of colourful heritage sites and breathtaking scenery offer plenty to adventure-seekers on a budget.

But this is beginning to change. Once-sleepy beach towns are transforming into five-star resorts. For better or worse, city streets once filled with hostels and homestays are being replaced with one-stop shopping centre/hotel complexes.

Vietnam’s tourism and hospitality industries have expanded rapidly in the past few years. Alongside on-trend international hotspots such as Iceland and Mongolia, Vietnam was in 2017 identified by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation as one of the world’s 10 fastest-growing travel destinations.

During the first half of 2018, Vietnam welcomed 8 million international visitors, an increase of 27.2 per cent from the previous year. Overall tourism revenue was an estimated 312 trillion dong (US$13.4 billion), 22.5 per cent more than in the first half of 2017.

The government has ambitious plans, aiming for 20 million international visitors per year by 2020. In turn, it aims to develop the tourism industry into a sector worth US$35 billion annually, one that would be 10 per cent of Vietnam’s GDP.

This growth has been driven partly by a spike in South Korean visitors, with knock-on effects in the tourism, hospitality and aviation sectors.

Last year, mainland China accounted for the most visitors to Vietnam, with 3.4 million arrivals. South Korea was not far behind, with 3.16 million, an increase of 46.5 per cent from the previous year, according to local media.

Flights from Vietnam to South Korea accounted for a remarkable 44.5 per cent of the country’s outbound traffic in 2018. By comparison, China-bound flights made up 14.8 per cent in the same year.

South Korean airlines Asiana and Jeju Air began offering daily flights between Busan and Da Nang, the Vietnamese coastal city, increasing the route’s capacity by 86 per cent.

As a result, Da Nang, known for its resorts and pristine beaches, became the top foreign destination for South Koreans last summer.

Many South Koreans fly the route to visit Hoi An, a resort town about 30km from Da Nang. According to Vietnamese reports, more than 240,000 South Koreans visited Hoi An last year, an increase of 70 per cent from 2016. They now outnumber the 200,000 mainland Chinese visitors arriving annually.

Vietjet prides itself on having served more than 2 million Koreans, many of whom were travelling overseas for the first time. In December, the budget carrier announced a new route linking Seoul and Phu Quoc island, another destination attracting South Koreans.

The north of Phu Quoc island caters to Koreans, with resorts built specifically for this market. Most Koreans never leave their resort, which is equipped with a medical centre and golf course.

From the 1960s until the late 1980s, South Koreans were not allowed to travel freely and passports were issued only for special reasons. After the nation’s democratisation in 1988, overseas travel was finally permitted and, as its middle class expanded over the next three decades, many South Koreans began to explore the world.

You will see more and more Korean brands and cafes every time you visit Vietnam. There are a lot of Korea-related businesses. Vietnamese people also love Korean culture.

As in many Asian countries swept up by the so-called K-wave, South Korean culture has begun to exert a broad influence on Vietnam’s urban environment.

Korean retail brands, cafes and eateries are popular, and cater to local populations as well as the growing influx of Korean visitors.

K-pop musicians sell out large arenas. Korean soap operas have been popular on local television for years. Korean movies are in theatres every week. Korean barbecue and noodle restaurants can be found all over the major cities and even appear in smaller cities.

Chinese visitors, on the other hand, have not been as warmly embraced. Vietnamese media reported two years ago that the coastal city of Da Nang would publish a booklet in Chinese on do’s and don’ts for tourists, after reports surfaced of mainland tourists and tour guides behaving badly.

Some of the mistrust and hostility towards the Chinese stemmed from historical conflict between the two countries that has flared up in recent times.

Four years ago, China moved an oil rig into Vietnam’s territorial waters and several Chinese-owned factories in Vietnam were burned down, with protests resulting in the death of at least 20 Chinese expats.

China restricted tourists coming to Vietnam, which really hurt the tourism industry. South Korea’s economic support for Vietnam has also contributed to the warm relations.

South Koreans are by far the largest foreign investors in Vietnam with over US$65 billion in registered capital in the country. Samsung has opened several enormous factories that manufacture phones and electronics.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City both have Korea towns where a significant amount of South Korean expats live.

Many younger Korean travellers forego a Korean experience while in Vietnam. But older travellers often with larger budgets still expect access to Korean services.

Those in their 40s and above look for Korean food and services during their stay. People of older age don’t travel a lot and need tour guides.

It has become second nature for Vietnam’s hospitality industry to offer Korean-language options.

Companies provide Korean brochures and Korean language menus. Travel agencies describe their information in Korean, and their staff can speak Korean fluently.

Vietnam’s jet fuel demand will surge to a record this year as its tourism industry attracts a wave of new visitors and the country’s airlines are rapidly expanding.

The country is on track to have 38 million international passengers and 16 million visitors this year, according to data from CAPA Centre for Aviation. That is up from 18 million passengers and 8 million visitors in 2015, according to the data.

Aviation demand in Vietnam is booming, Fuel consumption in Vietnam will reach a record high this year and will keep rising for the years to come, said Tran Hoai Nam, vice-president of Vietjet, Vietnam’s biggest private airline.

He added Vietnam’s growth in foreign arrivals was the highest in Southeast Asia, rising 8.7 per cent annually.

The surge in traffic has translated into a rush of jet fuel demand in Vietnam. Through November, the country has imported 1.87 million tonnes of the fuel, according to customs data, equal to 14.8 million barrels, and up 18 per cent from the same period last year.

For 2018, jet fuel demand in Vietnam was estimated to be increased by about 20 to 25 per cent in comparison with 2017, mostly due to the increase in consumption of the international flights, said a Hanoi-based trader at one of country’s jet fuel suppliers, who asked to remain unidentified due to company policy.

Vietnam currently consumes about 18 million barrels of jet fuel per year, according to data from Petrolimex Aviation.

By 2035, Vietnam will have 150 million airline passengers per year, nearly four times what it was in 2015, according to a 20-year forecast from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Over the same period, India will have 442 million passengers, 3.6 times what it was in 2015, while China will have 1.3 billion passengers, 2.7 times what it was in 2015, IATA said.

In November, Vietnam issued an aviation licence to Bamboo Airways, which would be the country’s fifth airline after Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific Airlines, Vietjet Aviation and Vietnam Air Services Co.

Bamboo signed a provisional deal to buy 20 of the wide-body 787-9 jets from US manufacturer Boeing and agreed a memorandum of understanding with Europe’s Airbus for up to 24 of the narrow-body A320neo jets in March.

VietJet, which currently operates 60 Airbus jets, has signed a US$6.5 billion agreement to buy 50 new jets.

Vietnam’s jet fuel imports will continue to surge as the country only has two refineries, Dung Quat in the central province of Quang Ngai and Nghi Son in Thanh Hoa province, near to the capital Hanoi, which only started operations last year.

Vietnam imports most its jet fuel from refineries in Singapore, Thailand and China, trade data showed.

Despite the steep growth outlook for Vietnam’s aviation sector, passenger growth might may be uneven as the country grapples with capacity constraints at its airports.

Vietnam’s biggest airport Tan Son Nhat, serving Ho Chi Minh City in the south, receives about 10 million more passengers per year than it is designed to serve.

The government is planning a second international airport at Long Thanh, 40km east of Ho Chi Minh City, that will serve 25 million passengers a year starting in 2025.


Tourism Observer

VIETNAM: Celebrating The Inauguration Of Da Nang International Airport

In celebration of the inauguration of Da Nang International Airport’s T2 terminal, Vietjet has announced the Danang - Seoul (South Korea) route, which is expected to bring greater travel opportunities to the people of the two localities, contributing to promoting trade and integration in the region.

Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho and Party Central Committee Member, Secretary of Da Nang City Party Committee, Chairman of Da Nang People's Council Nguyen Xuan Anh and leaders of the departments attended this important event.

The Da Nang-Seoul route will be operated on a daily basis from 31 May 2017 with tickets priced from only VND630,000 (USD28). The flight from Danang departs at 11.45pm (local time) and arrives in Seoul at 6.00am (local time).

The return flight takes off at 7.00am (local time) and lands in Danang at 9.40am.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Luu Duc Khanh, Managing Director of Vietjet said: Being the economic and tourist hub of the country, Da Nang strongly attracts investment in economic and tourism development.

With the opening of the route connecting Da Nang with South Korea, Vietjet not only provides the local people and international tourists with more travel opportunities via safe, civilized and modern air transportation but also contributes to promoting trade and investment development in the localities.

The T2 Terminal is designed and equipped with modern equipment with 40 check-in counters, 20 immigration exit counters, 22 immigration entry counters and 10 departure gates with a capacity of 6 million visitors per year.

This is an important construction to serve the 29th Summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and future aviation development.

The new route’s air tickets are available for booking within the golden hours of 1.00 to 14:00 at www.vietjetair.com (also compatible with smartphones at https://m.vietjetair.com) or at www.facebook.com/vietjetvietnam (just click the “Booking” tab).

Payment can be easily made with debit and credit cards of Visa, MasterCard, JCB, KCP and American Express.

With a new and modern fleet, beautiful, friendly and professional staff coupled with high-quality services, Vietjet is committed to always providing its passengers with many exciting flight experiences and opportunities to walk away with amazing airfares and surprising gifts under the promotion "12p.m, it’s time to Vietjet”.

Meanwhile, Air Namibia (SW) and Turkish Airlines (TK) yesterday signed a codeshare agreement that will be effective as from March 1st, covers routes between Turkey and Namibia, and set to expand the travel opportunities for the passengers of two airlines.

The signing ceremony took place at Turkish Airlines’ Headquarters in İstanbul. Namibia Deputy Minister of Works & Transport honorable Sankwasa James Sankwasa and Turkish Airlines Deputy Chairman and CEO, Bilal Ekşi signed the deal in the presence of senior officials from both sides.

This new codeshare agreement is bound to broaden the commercial partnership between two companies and their respective countries. At the same time, passengers of both airlines will be given more travel options between Namibia and Turkey.

Under the terms of the agreement, Air Namibia and Turkish Airlines are planning to place codes on unilateral flights of SW on Windhoek – Johannesburg v.v. / Windhoek – Frankfurt v.v., and unilateral flights of TK on İstanbul – Johannesburg v.v. / İstanbul – Frankfurt v.v. Also it has been considered that, when SW introduces the Windhoek – İstanbul v.v. flights in future, this codeshare agreement will be expanded by placing the code to include beyond İstanbul flights.

Honorable Sankwasa expressed their satisfaction with this commercial partnership with a well-established and rapidly growing carrier like Turkish Airlines, which enjoys a broad route network. He also expressed that they are happy to conduct this codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines and also added that the deal will be a crucial experience for them.

Honourable Sankwasa further stated that he is confident about this cooperation which will be fruitful for both sides and will be enlarged very soon.

Air Namibia is a small airline and in order to improve its competitiveness in this high competitive industry, it is important to have a strategic partner, as Turkish Airlines who placed on the top to become a partner with. We believe that this will be just one of the many areas of cooperation between Turkish Airlines and Air Namibia.Honourable Sankwasa further stated.

We are pleased to sign this codeshare agreement with Air Namibia and aim to improve our partnership to maximize the travel opportunities offered our passengers through our flight networks.

Air Namibia continues its expanding successfully, and we believe that this partnership between Turkish Airlines and Air Namibia will bring benefit to both carriers, not only from a commercial perspective, but also in cultural interactions between Turkey and Namibia while promoting business travel between two countries.said Turkish Airlines’ Deputy Chairman and CEO, Mr. Bilâl Ekşi, as commenting on the agreement.

VIETNAM: Chinese Tourists In Vietnam

A record year for visitors from the Chinese mainland is filling municipal coffers, but tensions are emerging as the Vietnamese tourism industry struggles to keep up.

A long day following the tourist trail in Da Nang, on Vietnam’s central coast. And as the group’s attention fades, somewhere around Linh Ung Pagoda and its huge statue of the Goddess of Mercy, their tour guide rattles off an alternative version of Vietnam’s history and culture.

It’s late and it’s hot, and thoughts have turned to air-conditioned hotel rooms, so the Chinese group can be forgiven for missing the subtle geopolitical implications of what their unlicensed leader is saying.

For instance, the guide tells them while Vietnam is no longer a part of China and has claimed its independence, it still depends on China and pays tribute to it. Or that the city’s My Khe Beach, a broad sweep of white sand once dubbed China Beach by American soldiers, really belongs to China.

That such bold claims are being made should perhaps come as no surprise. Many of the unlicensed guides who have sprouted up to feed off Vietnam’s Chinese tourism boom will feel they are merely playing to an audience that naturally sees things from a China-centric perspective, or that they are simply rehashing official Chinese narratives of domination over Southeast Asia and particularly the South China Sea – the very body of water overlooked by Da Nang.

But the fact that such accounts are being given here on Vietnamese soil is something far more controversial, and is just one example of the growing tensions brought on by an influx of Chinese visitors, which has filled municipal coffers but left the country’s tourism industry struggling to meet demand.

A record 2.7 million Chinese tourists arrived in Vietnam in 2016 – a 55 per cent increase over the previous year, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. That means tourists from mainland China accounted for 30 per cent of Vietnam’s total foreign arrivals.

Most Chinese visitors head to either Da Nang or Nha Trang, two coastal cities in the centre of the country famed for their beaches, historical sights and seafood.

This has caused headaches for the local tourism industries, and especially Vietnamese guides.

Some Chinese guides operating in the country have been accused of telling their groups that Vietnam hates China, and that they should not believe anything the local guides say. They are also accused of using regional dialects so that Mandarin- or Cantonese-speaking Vietnamese guides cannot understand them.

“Lately, some unlicensed Chinese guides have provided incorrect information on the territory and island disputes in the South China Sea,” says Nguyen Huu Tuan, sales manager at In-Out Tour Company, based in Ho Chi Minh City. “Unlicensed Chinese guides have destroyed the truth, causing worries for the Vietnamese people and the government,” he says.

It’s not only what the guides are saying – but that they are operating at all – that has angered local operators.

“By law, foreigners are not allowed to be tour guides in our country,” says Tran Tra, chairman of the Da Nang Tour Guide Club. At first, “Vietnamese tour guides were happy at the increase in Chinese arrivals in 2016,” he says, as they thought “they would have more opportunities to earn more money and increase their living standards”.

But the opposite happened – they have been losing business because “Chinese tour operators have illegally assigned Chinese tour leaders to act as guides”.

Aside from the legal aspects, local guides feel slighted by what they see as a lack of cooperation from Chinese guides and operators, says Cao Tri Dung, chairman of the Da Nang Travel Association.

Tensions reached a head in July, when the governments of Da Nang and Nha Trang cracked down on unlicensed guides. Da Nang deported four Chinese guides for working illegally. The guides were also fined US$4,200, while the company that hired them had its licence revoked and was fined US$560. The same month, Khanh Hoa Province, home to Nha Trang, expelled 66 Chinese who were working illegally in the travel industry.

The growing conflict over guides can be seen as part of a larger narrative of the countries’ relationship.

Despite close economic ties, China and its people are often unpopular with ordinary Vietnamese and recent diplomatic disputes, particularly in the South China Sea, have exacerbated resentment. Vietnam is proud of its history and land, and perceived efforts by foreign guides to distort facts are not taken lightly. At the same time, the behaviour of some Chinese tourists has not helped.

In June, a Chinese visitor reportedly burned Vietnamese currency in front of a bar in Da Nang. Chinese visitors have also been accused of harassing street vendors, trying to pay for items with Chinese yuan and threatening staff at Cam Ranh International Airport outside of Nha Trang. The Da Nang government has responded by publishing 5,000 copies of an etiquette booklet written in Chinese. These will be distributed in public places and list acceptable behaviour, such as queueing to buy tickets, respecting local culture and not littering or getting drunk in public.

Despite the blips, many Vietnamese recognise the spending power of Chinese tourists as something to be welcomed. As Tuan, from the In-Out Tour Company, says, “the fact that more and more Chinese visitors are coming will boost local tourism, and the economy”.

And with Da Nang and Nha Trang now firmly established as popular holiday spots for affluent Chinese, regional governments recognise more can be done to welcome their visitors. Tran Chi Cuong, deputy director of the Da Nang Tourism Department, says Chinese tourists have become frustrated at a lack of Chinese-speaking Vietnamese guides, so the department is now working to educate and train more guides to meet these demands. “We are also collaborating with the Da Nang University of Foreign Languages, tourist sites and travel agents to build and provide Chinese language resources at certain tourist attractions.”

Airline VietJet has launched a weekly flight from Zhengzhou to Da Nang on January 12.

Through initiatives such as this and the etiquette booklet, Da Nang and Nha Trang hope to nurture the welcome aspects of Chinese tourism even as they cut down on some of the less welcome ones – tour guides with bold claims among them.

VIETNAM: Vietnam’s Aviation Market No Doing Well

According to a source of Dau Tu (Investment) Newspaper, Skyviet Aviation JSC will receive an air transportation business license and aviation business license for commercial purposes – the two most important legal items for an airline to take off.

“The file of application for the two licenses of Skyviet is valid and it meets the requirements on capital, aircraft and organizational structure,” said Vo Huy Cuong, Deputy Chief of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam.

Skyviet may get the two licenses in mid 2016,after receiving a business registration certificate from the Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City.

In the structure of the VND300 billion charter capital of Skyviet, Vietnam Airlines contributed 51% with the assets currently managed by the Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO), including spare parts of ATR72-500 aircraft, reserve engines of ATR72 aircraft (VND99.2 billion) and VND53.7 billion in cash.

The two remaining shareholders are TECHCOM Capital with 48% of the charter capital and Techcomdeveloper with 1% of charter capital. Both of them are subsidiaries of Techcombank.

It is not easy for “newcomers” to vie for market share when the three big names as Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and VietJet are already planning to expand.

Established on the basis of inheriting and acquiring infrastructure and existing resources of VASCO, Skyviet can fly immediately after getting the licenses, with a fleet of 10 ATR72 aircraft.

This is also the reason that the process for getting licences for Skyviet was more favorable than the route of more than 2 years for the Vietstar Airlines Multirole Corporation (Vietstar Airlines).

The Ministry of Transport has recently asked the Prime Minister’s permission to grant an air transport license to Vietstar Airlines.

Vietstar was established in 2010 by the Air Defense Arm of the Ministry of Defense. The carrier was granted a general commercial aviation business licence in June 2011, providing air services for economic, social and tourism purposes, aircraft repair and maintenance and airport service.

The three major shareholders of Vietstar Airlines are the A41 Aircraft Repair Company, the VietStar Aviation JSC and Tin City Fast Delivery JSC.

According to audited financial statements by December 31, 2015, Vietstar had equity of VND652.7 billion (over $30 million) while the minimum capital for airlines with passenger and cargo transport services must be VND700 billion (nearly $35 million).

The Ministry of Transport recently had to hold a press briefing to clear up some questions around the granting of an aviation transport business licence for Vietstar Airlines.

Regarding reports that the company is said to lackan additional VND47.3 billion ($ 2.1 million) to reach the minimum capitalization of VND700 billion required for an airline, as per government Decree 30 issued in 2013, the ministry said the company’s audited financial report to December 31, 2015 showed owner’s capital has reached VND700 billion. However, as all the capital has been invested in the company’s operation and it has yet to earn any revenue, it is running a profit deficit of VND47.3 billion.

The ministry added that if the Prime Minister approves the licensing of Vietstar, the company will have six months to complete its papers.
Vietstar has committed to adding capital to meet the requirement if it receives the PM’s approval, the ministry said, stressing that the licence would only be issued when the business fulfills all requirements stipulated in Decree 30.

“Given the nature and scale of the fleet, the participation of the two new airlines will not affect the aviation market in the next 3-5 years,” said Lai Xuan Thanh, Head of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV).

In its business plan, Skyviet will continue to exploit the ATR72 aircraft to/from airports in the localities that cannot welcome narrow body jets (Con Dao, Ca Mau, Dien Bien, Kien Giang), with passenger transportation in the first 9 months of 2016 of only 465,659 people, Then it will increase to about 650,338 passengers in 2018.

It is expected that the new company will have profit right from the first year and it will increase gradually in the coming years. VASCO’s profit for the period 2016 – 2018 will be VND1.9 billion, mainly from advertising, selling souvenirs, charter and small aircraft services.

Meanwhile, in the first five years of operation, Vietstar Airlines plans to operate a fleet with only one Boeing 737 and an Airbus320 so its impact on the local aviation market will be modest.

Thanh said the key players in the domestic aviation market in the next 3-5 years will be Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air.

According to the aviation transport planning of Vietnam from now to 2020 and the vision to 2030 submitted to the Ministry of Transport by the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, in addition to the development of Vietnam Airlines as the core of the country’s air transport sector, the authorities will create favorable conditions for the development of VietJet, Jetstar Pacific, Vasco, and Vietstar Airlines. The CAAV proposed the Government to encourage the establishment and development of passenger-cargo and cargo air transport firms in Vietnam.

According to the CAAV, with the market of about 113 million passengers and 2.8 million tons of cargo in 2020, it is not easy for the “newcomers” to vie for market share when the three big names of Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and VietJet plan to expand their fleets.

Statistics of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) show that the country currently has eight airlines, including Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific Airlines, Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO), VietJet Air, Blue Sky Travel, Event Company Ltd, Hai Au Airline JSC, and Green Planet Technology JSC.

Couple Book The Wrong Airport In A Plan For A Dream Holiday to Las Vegas

Richella Heekin spent $2500 on the Las Vegas birthday surprise for boyfriend Ben Marlow.

A couple booked a trip of a lifetime to Las Vegas, only to discover at the check-in counter they had selected the wrong airport.

The couple showed up at Birmingham Airport in England and couldn't see their flight on the departure board.

They quickly realised their tickets were for Birmingham, Alabama in the US.

Richella Heekin had been saving for two years to pay for the surprise £1200 ($2500) holiday for boyfriend Ben Marlow's 30th birthday.

Richella's face has just gone red and she's in tears.

"I was like - we're not going to Vegas then. I was more gutted for Richella than myself because it was a surprise."

Heekin said the error occurred after "doing a lot of clicking" on booking site lastminute.com.

She did not realise the BHM code on her ticket was referring to Alabama's airport. BHX is the airport code for the English city.

The couple used a credit card to purchase two last-minute flights to Amsterdam in the Netherlands instead.

But since the pair attracted worldwide media attention for their blunder, Virgin Holidays has stepped in to provide the couple with free flights and a five-night stay in Vegas.

Airport mix-ups are not uncommon.

Last year Ghanaian man Emmanuel Akomanyi was attempting to travel to Guyana on South America's Caribbean coast, but when he got off at the other end he was in the Brazilian city of Goiania - almost 3000km away from where he needed to go.

In 2014, US dentist Edward Gamson sued British Airways after he booked first-class tickets to Granada in Spain, but ended up in Grenada, the Caribbean island.

- A woman who wanted to travel to Dakar, Senegal, ended up in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

- An 85-year-old woman ended up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, after she booked a Southwest Airlines flight to Fort Myers, Florida because of an airline error.

- A VietJet airplane that took off from Hanoi landed at Da Lat airport, 140km away from Cam Ranh Airport, where it was supposed to be.

- A Southwest Airlines plane landed at a small airport in Taney County, Missouri, approximately 12km from where it was meant to land at Branson Airport. Taney County had a much shorter runway and the plane had to brake hard to stop before the end.

- A 21-year-old American student found himself on a plane to Auckland, when he just wanted to get to Oakland, California. He blamed it on the Kiwi accent: ""They didn't say Auckland. They said Oakland. They talk different."

VIETNAM: Vietjet To Expand Its Fleet With Order For 30 Additional A321s

A320 Family confirmed as aircraft of choice for growing Vietnamese carrier

Vietnamese carrier Vietjet has placed a firm order with Airbus for the purchase of 30 more A321s (9 A321ceo and 21 A321neo). The order was signed at the Dubai Airshow by Vietjet President and CEO, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

“Today’s order for additional A321s responds to our growth strategy and to the need for additional seat capacity on both domestic and international routes,” said Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Vietjet President and CEO “Our aim is to be Vietnam and Asia’s new age carrier, known for quality, efficiency and comfort and our A320 fleet has earned us this reputation.”

“This additional order from the fast growing airline Vietjet confirms the success of the A320 Family as the preferred choice for airlines in the single aisle market”, said John Leahy. “We are delighted Vietjet once again selected the A321, our largest single aisle and the perfect partner for the airline’s continued impressive growth.”

Vietjet first took to the skies at the end of 2011 and now operates a fleet of 29 A320 Family aircraft including three A321s, on a network covering Vietnam and a growing number of destinations across Asia. Following today’s announcement the airline has placed firm orders with Airbus for a total of 99 A320 Family aircraft.

The A321 is the largest member of the best-selling single aisle A320 Family. To date, the A320 Family has won more than 12,200 orders and over 6,700 aircraft have been delivered to more than 300 operators worldwide.

Incorporating new engines and the latest technologies, the A320neo Family will bring a step-change reduction in fuel consumption of over 15 per cent from day 1 and 20 per cent by 2020, longer range capability and reduced maintenance costs, as well significantly reduced carbon emissions. With over 4,300 orders received from more than 75 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 percent share of the market.

VIETNAM: Vietjet Air Overview

Vietjet private airline announced a first commercial flight from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi on 25 Dec 2013. This is the second cheap airline in Vietnam. After nearly 4 years licensed and Vietjet Air has officially joined in the domestic aviation market. It will make farmer, worker or poor people can have chance to fly.

Vietjet air pilot and plane
VietJet air is proud of owning a new fleet, most modern and environmentally friendly. Most of the new aircraft is 100% and the average age less than 3 years old. VietJet air is the first airline in Vietnam owned Sharklet modern A320 aircraft, Airbus' latest.

Vietjet air Itinerary
Since the first day, Vietjet air operates only the route Ho Chi Minh- Hanoi. Nowadays, it connects 11 cities of Vietnam including: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Danang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Vinh, Hai Phong, Buon Ma Thuot, Hue, Da Lat, Quy Nhon. In addition, it also starts to operate international flight to Bangkok and Singapore.

Vietjet air service
Time schedule: It is similar to Jetstar Pacific with low commitment of time schedule. The flight time can be changed suddenly and cause a lot inconvenience for passenger. The flight can be delayed for 12 hours because number of flights per day for a specific route is only one or two.

Service at the airport:
This is also the weakness of Vietjet air. When it tries the best to sell tickets at the cheapest price to make customer happy, it also causes passengers stressfully at the airport with low processing time and no assistance when its passengers needed.

Airline meals:
VietJet air’s passengers have choice to buy or not to buy meals when they make bookings. However, if you forget to order meal when make booking, you can order on plane but with limitation of available food. Beverage also be served with fee on plane.

Vietjet air luggage

Hand Baggage
Each passenger can carry free 7kg hand bag with the dimensions not to exceed 56cm × 36cm × 23 cm.

Checked Baggage
Passengers have to purchase a 15kg, 20kg, 25kg, 30kg, 35kg or 40kg baggage when make booking. However, weight of each bag must not exceed 32 kg with dimension not to exceed 119cm × 119cm × 81cm. A baggage fee is charged for the carriage of checked baggage. Baggage fees are not refundable and not transferable.

VIETNAM: Vietjet Orders 9 Airbus A321ceo And 21 A321neo Airliners

Vietjet Air has placed a firm order with Airbus for the purchase of 30 more A321s (9 A321ceo and 21 A321neo). The order was signed at the Dubai Airshow by Vietjet President and CEO, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

Vietjet first took to the skies at the end of 2011 and now operates a fleet of 29 A320 Family aircraft including three A321s, on a network covering Vietnam and a growing number of destinations across Asia. Following today’s announcement the airline has placed firm orders with Airbus for a total of 99 A320 Family aircraft.