Vietjet and Airbus have signed a strategic partnership agreement on the delivery timeline for 119 aircraft of the airline’s existing backlog and a cooperation for the development of Vietjet’s widebody fleet together with other supporting terms for the airline post COVID-19 period. Both sides agree on further support and training for the airline’s technicians and engineers while accelerating on Vietjet’s Training Academy development for simulators, safety management programs, and flight management training. The agreement’s announcement was made during the official visit of Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and high-ranking dignitaries’ delegation to France. Vietjet will take delivery and operate up to three leased A330 aircraft in November as part of the airline’s wide-body fleet development plan under its LCC model operation.
“We are pleased to reach this agreement with Vietjet,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International. “It’s another example of how we have worked together with our customers to find solutions to adapt to the impact of the pandemic. With its modern and efficient Airbus fleet Vietjet will be well equipped to benefit from the rebound in air travel in Asia, where we see strong pent-up demand.”
Vietjet Managing Director Dinh Viet Phuong said: “Our cooperation today again acknowledges both parties’ long-term and sustainable relationship, which is now elevated to a strategic and comprehensive partnership. Vietjet has pioneered in choosing and operating a fleet, which is not just new and modern but also environment-friendly and fuel-efficient, to bring joyful and amazing flights to our passengers. I believe that the add-on of the A330s will surely enhance our fleet’s technical reliability, operational efficiency and flight range to better meet travel demand of our flyers in the coming time.”
The agreement also covers a variety of other aspects such as aircraft’s equipment supply and services, comprehensive aviation training, consultation, and development of MRO facilities for Vietjet and in the region together with other initiatives for fuel efficiency and sustainable development. As Vietnam’s largest airline in terms of the total number of passengers transported domestically, Vietjet currently operates a fleet of 90 aircraft. With a comprehensive network in Vietnam and Asia Pacific, the airline looks to further expand across continents future thanks to its new and modern fleet together with strategic partnership with Airbus in the near.
Not sure how needed the 330s are in November with Vietnam, unfortunately, being even less attractive a proposition to LH Pax than Thailand.
Thailand missed the boat on relaxing conditions and restrictions for our planned visit this month and Vietnams, whilst I guess could be viewed as a step in the right direction are considerably tighter and therefore even less appealing.
Naturally of course the 1st priority of any Gov’ is to its own people and what’s best for them but for those of us who a trip to the country entails flying across a great swathe of the planet at considerable expense any country placing high cost and freedom of movement demands on visitors goes right to the bottom of anyone’s list. Especially when you consider that,after so many restrictions globally for so long, people’s desire to experience a country as they want to instead of as a Gov dictates is stronger than ever.
Regional and internal tourism can of course male up some of the gap but often it’s the spending power, and general happiness to spend high and widely that tend to accompany Western tourists that actually benefits the Mom-n-Pop small businesses of the people of Vietnam and a large % of that is predicated on those tourists being able to get ‘out and about’ in the wilds.