Vietnam’s two dominant airlines are planning dramatic fleet growth in coming years, with orders for hundreds of aircraft either in place or pending to take advantage of one of the Asia Pacific region’s hottest markets.
The low cost carrier VietJet Air has led the way, by boosting its order backlog past 250 narrowbody jets, and is also adding widebodies to the mix. The flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, meanwhile, is intending to order up to 100 narrowbodies in two phases.
Although ambitious growth agendas are common in Asia, Vietnam’s still stands out. One of the region’s largest airport construction projects is under way near Ho Chi Minh City to provide the infrastructure necessary for airline expansion.
Part one of this analysis looks at the overall market dynamics and VietJet Air, while part two will discuss Vietnam Airlines and the airport plans.