Airbus announces Vietnamese deals
European plane maker Airbus announced Tuesday it had signed deals worth about US$6.5 billion with three Vietnamese airlines for 40 planes including 10 A350-900s and a mix of A321neos, A321ceos as well as A320ceos.
Airbus said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Vietnam Airlines for 10 A350-900 aircraft worth US$3.1 billion at list prices. The aircraft will be used by the airline on non-stop flights to the US, beginning with services between Ho Chi Minh City and Los Angeles. The MOU was signed in Hanoi by Duong Tri Thanh, president and CEO of Vietnam Airlines, and Fabrice Bregier, Airbus president and CEO. The signing took place during the state visit to Vietnam by French president Francois Hollande.
To date, Airbus has signed a total of 810 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 43 customers worldwide. It has delivered a total of 36 A350 XWBs and the aircraft is now in service with eight carriers.
Other deals announced by Airbus include the finalisation of a US$2.4 billion order for 10 A321ceos and 10 A321neos with low-cost carrier VietJet that will be delivered from 2017 until 2020. Budget airline Jetstar Pacific also said it will buy 10 A320 planes from Airbus for about US$1 billion as it expands its domestic and international network. Jetstar Pacific is 70 percent owned by Vietnam Airlines and 30 percent by Australia’s Qantas Airways. It said its 10 planes would be delivered in 2017.