Vietnam Airlines Company Limited, trading as
Vietnam Airlines , is the national
flag carrierA flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
of
VietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. Founded in 1956 under the name
Vietnam Civil Aviation, the airline was established as a state enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Bien,
HanoiHanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
, with hubs at
Noi Bai International AirportNoi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is the largest in the north of the country. It is 28 miles from the city centre. The travel time from the city centre is 30–45 minutes.-Facilities:...
and
Tan Son Nhat International AirportTan Son Nhat International Airport is Vietnam's largest international airport in terms of area . It has a handling capacity of 15-17 million passengers per year, compared with the capacity of Hanoi - Noi Bai airport of 8 million passengers and Da Nang's 2 million passengers...
. The airline flies to 46 destinations in 19 countries, excluding codeshared services. The carrier operates under the IATA airline designator
VN and the ICAO airline designator
HVN, while its callsign is
VIET NAM AIRLINES.
Vietnam Airlines was officially formed in 1996, after bringing together several service companies. The company is overseen by a seven-seat management board, members of which are appointed by the
Vietnamese Prime Minister-Office:The Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the head of the executive branch of the Vietnamese government. The Prime Minister presides over the Vietnamese cabinet, and is responsible for appointing and supervising ministers...
. Vietnam Airlines was the major stakeholder in Vietnam's second largest carrier,
Jetstar Pacific AirlinesJetstar Pacific Airlines Joint Stock Aviation Company is a low-cost airline headquartered in the Tân Bình District of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It operates domestic and international services, and charter flights. Its main base is Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the main airport in Ho Chi...
, but its share has been transferred to the Ministry of Finance, then subsequently, to the State Capital Investment Corporation.
With the core activity of the airline being passenger transportation, Vietnam Airlines also earns revenue from catering and the
maintenance and overhauling of aircraftAircraft maintenance is the overhaul, repair, inspection or modification of an aircraft or aircraft component.Maintenance includes the installation or removal of a component from an aircraft or aircraft subassembly, but does not include:...
through a number of its subsidiaries. The maintenance and overhauling of aircraft is handled by Vietnam Airlines Engineering Company (VAECO), while the former is performed by Noibai Catering Services Join-Stock Company and Vietnam Air Caterer, who cater airlines that use Vietnam Airlines’ hubs. The airline also controls and operates its cargo division, Vietnam Airlines Cargo, using the airline’s luggage hold on its passenger fleet, as well as a number of dedicated aircraft. Vietnam Airlines owns 100% of
Vietnam Air Service CompanyVietnam Air Service Company , also known as VASCO, is an airline in Vietnam, headquartered in Tân Bình, Ho Chi Minh City. Operating scheduled flights from its base at Tan Son Nhat International Airport to the south of the country, VASCO is a fully owned subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, it also...
(VASCO)—a regional airline in southern Vietnam, and 49% of
Cambodia Angkor AirCambodia Angkor Air is the national flag carrier airline of Cambodia, headquartered in Phnom Penh. It commenced operations on 28 July 2009. The airline is owned by the Cambodian Government and Vietnam Airlines , the latter allowing for codeshare flights.-History:Cambodia Angkor Air was founded on...
—the national flag carrier of
CambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
.
The airline is ranked as a 3-star airline according to the independent research consultancy firm
SkytraxSkytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services, which has the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts research for commercial airlines...
. Vietnam Airlines became a member of
SkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
on , making it the sole
Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
n carrier to join that
allianceAn airline alliance is an agreement between two or more airlines to cooperate on a substantial level. The three largest passenger alliances are the Star Alliance, SkyTeam and Oneworld. Alliances also form between cargo airlines, such as that of WOW Alliance, SkyTeam Cargo and ANA/UPS Alliance...
.
Beginnings
Vietnam Airlines can trace its roots back to January 1956, when it, under the name "Vietnam Civil Aviation", was established by the
North VietnamThe Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
ese government after the nationalization of
Gia Lam AirportGia Lam Airport is one of two major airports in Hanoi, Vietnam, located in Gia Lâm District, on the eastern bank of the Red River. It is primarily a military field, used by the Vietnam People's Air Force , with MiG-21 fighters and Kamov Ka-28 helicopters stored in revetments. The airfield was...
. It was instituted after the government signed the Decree. 666/TTg. The airline was created as part of the air force for civilian purposes. Its fleet consisted of five ageing Soviet-supplied planes – one
Ilyushin Il-14The Ilyushin Il-14 was a Soviet twin-engine commercial and military personnel and cargo transport aircraft that first flew in 1950, and entered service in 1954. Il-14 was also manufactured in East Germany by VVB Flugzeugbau, in Czechoslovakia as the Avia 14, and in China under the Chinese...
, one
Antonov An-2The Antonov An-2 is a single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed in the USSR in 1946...
and three Aero Ae-45s; this was because there was an
embargoAn embargo is the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country, in order to isolate it. Embargoes are considered strong diplomatic measures imposed in an effort, by the imposing country, to elicit a given national-interest result from the country on which it is...
that prohibited the airline leasing and/or buying American technology or components.
The airline's development and expansion was seriously hampered by the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
(1954–1975). Following the war, its first international destination was
BeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, followed by
Vientiane-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
in 1976. During that year, the airline was known as
General Department of Civil Aviation in Vietnam, and began full operations, carrying around 21,000 passengers, one-third of which were on international flights and 3000 tonnes (6,613,867.9 lb) of cargo. In 1978, another important destination of Vietnam Airlines was added, with flights offered to
BangkokBangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
. The late
1980sFile:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
and early
1990sFile:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
saw the expansion of the network to
Hong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
,
Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
,
ManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
and
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
In 1990, the company initiated discussions regarding the incorporation of Western-built aircraft into the fleet. By July 1991, the airline struck a wet-lease agreement with Dutch lessor
TransAviaTransavia.com is a Dutch based low-cost airline operating as an independent part of the Air France-KLM group. Its main base is at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol while Rotterdam The Hague Airport , and Eindhoven Airport are its secondary hubs...
. The aircraft involved was a
Boeing 737–300The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
, that arrived in Vietnam Airline's
liveryAircraft livery is a paint scheme applied to an aircraft, generally to fuselage, wings, empennage , or jet engines. Most airlines have a standard paint scheme for their aircraft fleet, usually prominently displaying the airline logo or name. From time to time special liveries are introduced, for...
. However, the aircraft was returned after the
U.S. State DepartmentThe United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
pressured the Dutch lessor to remove the aircraft from Vietnam. Subsequently, Vietnam Airlines organized a similar but more complicated deal with
SwissSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
charter flights provider
TEA BasleEasyJet Switzerland SA is a low-cost airline based in Meyrin, Switzerland, operating scheduled flights as an EasyJet franchise out of Geneva Cointrin International Airport and Basel-Mulhouse International Airport....
, who spent the rest of 1991 negotiating a deal with US authorities. Eventually, a solution stating that "[the Boeing 737] must be positioned outside Vietnam, with no logo or lettering of Vietnam Airlines. On these conditions, it could operate on behalf of Vietnam Airlines" was reached. In ,
Cathay PacificCathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
and Vietnam Airlines agreed on a 50–50 joint venture to operate between Hong Kong and Vietnam; this was because the airline's
Tupolev Tu-134The Tupolev Tu-134 is a twin-engined airliner, similar to the American Douglas DC-9 and the French Sud Aviation Caravelle, and built in the Soviet Union from 1966–1984. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain other Russian airliners , it can operate from unpaved...
fleet did not meet
Kai Tak AirportKai Tak Airport was the international airport of Hong Kong from 1925 until 1998. It was officially known as the Hong Kong International Airport from 1954 to 6 July 1998, when it was closed and replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 km to the west...
's noise restrictions.
In October 1992, the
Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
was complemented by an
Airbus A310The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
. However, a dispute with
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n
Jes AirJES Air was founded in 1991 and was one of the first private-owned airlines in Bulgaria. The airline was supported with capital from Singapore-based companies. Its first route was Sofia-New York, due to an agreement between the two countries, and it then expanded its destinations towards Canada and...
over who should pay for the repairs after the aircraft sustained an
engine failureA turbine engine failure refers to an incident wherein a turbine engine in an aircraft unexpectedly stops producing power because of a part malfunction, in the absence of circumstances such as fuel exhaustion.-Nature of failures:...
led to its replacement with another A310 from
GATXGATX Corporation is an equipment finance company based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1898, GATX's primary activities consist of railcar operating leasing in North America and Europe...
, also operated by Jes Air. A similar dispute with
United TechnologiesUnited Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut...
encouraged the airline to switch from Airbus to Boeing. Hence, a Boeing 767-200ER, leased from
Ansett Worldwide Aviation ServicesAnsett Worldwide Aviation Services or simply Ansett Worldwide is one of the world's largest commercial jet aircraft leasing companies...
(AWAS), arrived in January 1993, and a Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing 767-300ER, arrived the following year. In October 1993, three Airbus A320s were incorporated over a two-year wet-lease contract with
Air FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
. By that time, Air France and Vietnam Airlines had started discussions about working together, and the
FrenchThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
carrier agreed to lease its Airbuses to Vietnam Airlines, and also to provide customer support and pilot/crew training. Also by that time the route network expanded internationally, seeing the incorporation of Paris, Tokyo,
SeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
,
TaipeiTaipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Sydney, and Melbourne, among others.
New enterprise: 1993 and onwards
In 1993 the airline completed its restructuring programme which had been started four years earlier. In that year, the airline split from the
Civil Aviation Administration of VietnamThe Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam is the aviation authority under the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam. It handles and regulates civil aviation in Vietnam...
(CAAV) and became a
state enterpriseA government-owned corporation, state-owned company, state-owned entity, state enterprise, publicly owned corporation, government business enterprise, or parastatal is a legal entity created by a government to undertake commercial activities on behalf of an owner government...
. The move was similar to the reorganization of the
Civil Aviation Administration of ChinaThe Civil Aviation Administration of China , formerly the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China , is the aviation authority under the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China. It oversees civil aviation and investigates aviation accidents and incidents...
into several regional airlines in 1987. Despite the fact that the airline gained some independence from the CAAV, it was still known as
Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam within the 1993–1996 period.
In February 1994,
US presidentThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
lifted the trade embargo to allow Vietnam Airlines the ability to freely acquire Western-built aircraft. Consequently, Vietnam Airlines announced in April of the same year that it would be phasing out its inefficient Soviet planes. In 1996, the airline, along with a number of other aviation-related businesses, were incorporated to establish the present Vietnam Airlines Corporation. In September, Vietnam Airlines started offering
business classBusiness class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
services and in 1999, the airline launched its frequent-flyer program, Golden Lotus Plus. During 1996, Vietnam Airlines looked for aircraft which would substitute the A320s wet-leased from Air France when the deal is over. Apart from acquiring further A320s, the airline considered Boeing 737s and
McDonnell Douglas MD-90The McDonnell Douglas MD-90 is a twin-engine, short- to medium-range, single-aisle commercial jet aircraft. The MD-90 was developed from the MD-80 series. Differences from the MD-80 include more fuel efficient International Aero Engines V2500 engines and a longer fuselage...
s. With its freedom to operate Western-built aircraft, Vietnam Airlines considered the acquisition of
long-haulIn aviation, the flight length is defined as the time airborne during a flight.- Domestic :A short-haul domestic flight is commonly categorized into being no longer than 1.5 hours in length, meaning that all domestic flights within a country such as the United Kingdom are short-haul...
aircraft to better service Vietnamese living overseas. The
Airbus A340The Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engine wide-body commercial passenger jet airliner. Developed by Airbus Industrie,A consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. a consortium of European aerospace companies, which is...
, Boeing 747 and the
McDonnell Douglas MD-11The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a three-engine medium- to long-range widebody jet airliner, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and, later, by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Based on the DC-10, it features a stretched fuselage, increased wingspan with winglets, refined airfoils on the wing and smaller...
were topics of discussion. Meanwhile, two Fokker 70s were acquired in May and July to replace the twelve Tupolev Tu-134s, as well as to serve as VIP transport.
In , Vietnam Airlines signed a historic agreement with Boeing. It ordered its first ever US-built aircraft, signalling the start of trade under the Bilateral Trade Agreement between the two countries. The airline ordered four
Boeing 777-200ERThe Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
s, which were delivered in 2003. The four aircraft, as well as six other Boeing 777s leased from
International Lease Finance CorporationThe International Lease Finance Corporation is an aircraft lessor headquartered in Century City, Los Angeles, California.It is the world's largest aircraft lessor by value, though ILFC's rival, General Electric's GECAS unit, has more aircraft...
(ILFC), are the flagships of the airline, and are deployed mainly on long-haul flights to Australia and Europe, as well as flights between the airline's hubs.
During 2002, Vietnam Airlines considered a lease offer from Airbus for two
Airbus A340-400sThe Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engine wide-body commercial passenger jet airliner. Developed by Airbus Industrie,A consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. a consortium of European aerospace companies, which is...
. However, the airline later settled on a four-aircraft direct order from Boeing for the
Boeing 777-200ERThe Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
. On 4 September 2003, a landmark ceremony celebrated VNA's receipt of its first Boeing 777-200ER purchased outright from
BoeingBoeing Commercial Airplanes designs, assembles, markets and sells large commercial jet aircraft and provides product-related maintenance and training to customers worldwide...
. The aircraft was the first of four 777s ordered by the airline. On 28 October, the airline decided to move its operations from
Sheremetyevo International AirportSheremetyevo International Airport , is an international airport located in the Moscow Oblast, Russia, north-west of central Moscow. It is a hub for the passenger operations of the Russian international airline Aeroflot, and one of the three major airports serving Moscow along with Domodedovo...
to
Domodedovo International AirportMoscow Domodedovo Airport or Domodedovo International Airport is an international airport located in Domodedovsky District, Moscow Oblast, Russia, south-southeast of the centre of Moscow...
.
In June 2005, Vietnam Airlines ordered four Boeing 787-8s. Twelve additional 787-8s were ordered in late 2007, some of them to be directly acquired from the company, and the rest to be purchased by the carrier's subsidiary Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Company (VALC). These new aircraft were to allow Vietnam Airlines to expand its network and replace some leased aircraft. However, owing to delays in the 787 program, Vietnam Airlines has only received the A321s. Regarding the delays from Boeing, Vietnam Airlines CEO Pham Ngoc Minh noted, "We are not happy about the constant delays. It affects our business plan." In 2010 the airline switched its Boeing 787 order from the to the model, stating that 787-8s didn't meet all the requirements Boeing initially promised; it is expected the airline will receive its first aircraft of the type in 2015.
On , the airline launched services to
FrankfurtFrankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
after having discontinued services to Berlin. It came after the 2004–2005 period when travel between the two countries soared 70 percent. The following year, Vietnam Airlines was admitted into
IATAThe International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
, the biggest aviation association in the world. As part of the move, Vietnam Airlines had to meet the association’s
IOSAThe IATA Operational Safety Audit programme is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. IOSA uses internationally recognised quality audit principles and is designed to conduct audits in a...
safety standards.
Recent developments
According to a number of newspaper reports in 2007, the
Vietnamese governmentNotwithstanding the 1992 Constitution's affirmation of the central role of the Communist Party, the National Assembly, according to the Constitution, is the highest representative body of the people and the only organization with legislative powers. It has a broad mandate to oversee all government...
planned to partly privatize Vietnam Airlines. In the plan, the government considered selling 20 to 30 percent of the airline’s stake to outsiders, with the government holding the balance. This was a small part of a bigger proposal by the government to privatize its state-owned companies, due to be completed by 2010.
Vietnam authorized the plan the following year, however, the plan was not carried out as the airline missed its deadline scheduled by the government, which was arranged for 2010, due to the
Global Financial CrisisThe late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...
.
On , the airline and VALC signed an
memorandum of understandingA memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
(MOU) for the purchase of 10
Airbus A350The Airbus A350 is a family of long-range, wide-body jet airliners under development by European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.A consortium originally comprising European aerospace companies from the UK, France, Spain and West Germany, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known...
s, and 20 additional Airbus A321s. The Airbus A350s will supplement the Boeing 787s already ordered by the airline. This single order will result in Vietnam Airlines becoming one of the largest Airbus operators in Asia. The two companies also ordered 5 extra
ATR 72-500The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology...
s in December 2007.
Vietnam was chosen as the host of Miss World's 60th contest in 2008. As the country's
national airlineA flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
, Vietnam Airlines was selected as the sponsoring airline for the contest. As the official airline of the beauty pageant, the airline was tasked the job of managing all the transportation for the contest, to be carried out during September and October, just before the beginning of the competition. However, it was later decided to carry out the event in
SanyaSanya is the southernmost city in China and is a part of Hainan Province. In 2006, it had a population of 536,000, making it, after the provincial capital , the second most populous city on the island. The city is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination,...
,
ChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, following speculations of Vietnam withdrawing.
In 2009, Vietnam Airlines (49%), along with the
Government of CambodiaThe Politics of Cambodia takes place in a framework of a constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government and a Monarch is head of state. The kingdom formally takes place according to the nation's constitution in a framework of a parliamentary, representative...
(51%), established a joint-venture to boost tourism in
CambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. The joint-venture is a new Cambodian national airline named
Cambodia Angkor AirCambodia Angkor Air is the national flag carrier airline of Cambodia, headquartered in Phnom Penh. It commenced operations on 28 July 2009. The airline is owned by the Cambodian Government and Vietnam Airlines , the latter allowing for codeshare flights.-History:Cambodia Angkor Air was founded on...
, which started on 27 July with flights from
Phnom PenhPhnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
to
Siem ReapSiem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region.Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market...
and
SihanoukvilleSihanoukville , also known as Kampong Saom, is a province in southern Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand. This port city is a growing Cambodian urban center, located southwest of the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. The province is named after King Father Norodom Sihanouk and grew up around the...
using a fleet of two
ATR 72The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology...
s. An Airbus A321 joined the fleet in September.
In 2009, the carrier signed a deal for another 16 Airbus A321s plus 2 Airbus A350s, during the
Paris Air ShowThe Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
. Later that year, a MOU with
AirbusAirbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
was signed, confirming its negotiations to order four
Airbus A380The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
s. According to Vietnam Airlines, these aircraft will allow Vietnam Airlines to expand its services to North America. Vietnam Airlines is particularly interested in a higher-weight variant of the A380-800 that is currently under development.
A new bilingual website was launched by Vietnam Airlines effective to make bookings easier. On 26 August 2010, the airline teamed up with Boeing during the unveiling of its interior modernization programme in order to increase passenger comfort. From late September to early October, Vietnam Airlines discounted up to 85% of its 90,000 fares to celebrate Thang Long-
HanoiHanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
's 1000th anniversary. In November 2010, the airline awarded
HoneywellHoneywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
a million contract to retrofit the Airbus A321s' aircraft flight systems, which is calculated to save Vietnam Airlines per aircraft per year.
Future
With the expected arrival of the seventy aircraft for the duration of the next ten years, Vietnam Airlines is considering significantly expanding its route map. The airline is particularly interested in launching services to the United States, where more than 1.2 million Vietnamese currently reside. Such plans have been confirmed in December 2003, but have since been postponed because Vietnam is not yet part of
Federal Aviation AdministrationThe Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
's aviation safety assessment programme. The airline, however, is expected to launch the service in early 2011. Vietnam Airlines also "considering opening new routes such as Ho Chi Minh City/Hanoi, Vietnam–London; Ho Chi Minh City/Hanoi–Shanghai/Beijing, China; Ho Chi Minh City–
MumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India; Ho Chi Minh City–
BrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia; and Ho Chi Minh City–
DohaDoha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Qatar", according to CEO Pham Ngoc Minh.
While the airline had launched flights to Beijing and Shanghai, there are currently no flights to London, Mumbai, Qatar, and Brisbane. The HCM City–London (Gatwick) route, however, is planned to commence on 8 December 2011, with preparations underway to accommodate the airline's aircraft at one of the UK's airport. In April, the airline announced it would start direct flights to London before the year's end. The airline also plans to open flights to the U.S. in 2012.
By 2020, VNA plans to increase its revenue to US$7 billion—up from $1.86 billion in 2010—by carrying 620,000 tonnes of cargo and 35 million passengers, using a fleet of 163 aircraft. It aims to capture a market share of 45% of Vietnam's aviation market. During its first 15 years of operation, from 1996 to 2010, Vietnam Airlines carried a total of 82 million passengers on board 678,550 flights. Furthermore, Vietnam Airlines plans to transfer most of its international operations from its current hub,
Tan Son Nhat International AirportTan Son Nhat International Airport is Vietnam's largest international airport in terms of area . It has a handling capacity of 15-17 million passengers per year, compared with the capacity of Hanoi - Noi Bai airport of 8 million passengers and Da Nang's 2 million passengers...
, to the now-under construction
Long Thanh International AirportLong Thanh International Airport is an airport planned for construction in Long Thanh, Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam, approx 40 km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. It is intended to become operational by 2020...
. With a cost of approximately US$6 billion, the airport will, according to Vietnamese authorities, be a major gateway into Southeast Asia, at the same time helping Vietnam Airlines boost its operations internationally.
In January 2011, plans were announced by the airline to re-initiate an
initial public offeringAn initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
by the end of 2012; an earlier attempt was stalled by the
2007–2010 Financial CrisesThe late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...
.
Corporate affairs and identity
Vietnam Airlines is owned by the government of Vietnam. In 2005, it had a workforce of over 14,000 employees, of whom 9,000 worked for the airline. The airline is headed and overseen by a seven-seat management team, members of which are selected by the
Prime Minister of Vietnam-Office:The Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the head of the executive branch of the Vietnamese government. The Prime Minister presides over the Vietnamese cabinet, and is responsible for appointing and supervising ministers...
. Currently, Nguyen Sy Hung is the chairman of the company, with Pham Ngoc Minh being the President and CEO. As of 2010,, the airline branch of the corporation has 9,260 employees. Currently the airline is headquartered in the Long Bien district of
HanoiHanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
. although its headquarters were previously at
Gia Lam AirportGia Lam Airport is one of two major airports in Hanoi, Vietnam, located in Gia Lâm District, on the eastern bank of the Red River. It is primarily a military field, used by the Vietnam People's Air Force , with MiG-21 fighters and Kamov Ka-28 helicopters stored in revetments. The airfield was...
in Gia Lam, Hanoi.
Training
Transportation of dangerous goods, cabin crew training, crew-resource management (CRM) and pilot training are all safety enhancing programs taught to airline personnel. New Vietnamese pilots are assigned as Western-type aircraft co-pilots. All pilots—both national and foreign—receive biannual simulator training and periodic line checks by Western pilots. A Hanoi-based Airbus cabin mock-up is specifically used for smoke and evacuation training.
In October 2010, the airline and Bay Viet Flight Training Joint-Stock Company agreed to train 60 pilots in Vietnam during the 2011–2012 period. As of 2010, Vietnam Airlines needed 636 pilots, 60% of which are Vietnamese. By 2015, Vietnam Airlines plans to raise that figure it by 75%, meaning there will be at least 100 new recruits each year from 2010 until 2015.
Financial performance
Vietnam Airlines has enjoyed an average of 37 percent increase in passengers flown per year until 1997, when the Asian Financial Crisis and other contributing causes led to a loss in profits for the airline. Nevertheless, the airline remained profitable throughout the crisis. In 1996, the airline carried 2.5 million passengers, up 18% from 1995. The airline carried more than 4 million passengers in 2002, which is an 18% increase over the previous year. Its cargo traffic also climbed 20 percent during the same period, resulting in a 2002 profit of US$35.77 million.
Despite the
severe acute respiratory syndromeSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
(SARS) outbreak, the airline posted a US$26.2 million profit for 2003. In 2006, it carried 6.8 million passengers (3.7 million international) and earned revenue of nearly US$1.37 billion (first 11 months). Vietnam Airlines carried more than 8 million passengers, of which 3.3 million were international travellers in 2007, the year which saw the airline earning a gross profit of US$23 million. It also transported 115,100 tonnes of cargo. In 2009, the airline's
revenueIn business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
was US$1.3 billion, compared to US$1.56 billion it earned the previous year. During this period, Vietnam Airlines carried 9.3 million passengers. According to
Anna.Aero, Vietnam Airlines’ passenger capacity for 2010 has risen 30 percent over the same period of the previous year. This also coincides with the increase in capacity at Vietnamese airports, at 21%.
Vietnam Airlines holds about 40 percent of the market share of international tourists flying to and from Vietnam. This is significant because Vietnam Airlines receives two-thirds of its profits from international passengers. Domestically, Vietnam Airlines and its subsidiary
Vietnam Air Service CompanyVietnam Air Service Company , also known as VASCO, is an airline in Vietnam, headquartered in Tân Bình, Ho Chi Minh City. Operating scheduled flights from its base at Tan Son Nhat International Airport to the south of the country, VASCO is a fully owned subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, it also...
(VASCO) has an 80% share of the aviation market, with the rest covered by
Jetstar PacificJetstar Pacific Airlines Joint Stock Aviation Company is a low-cost airline headquartered in the Tân Bình District of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It operates domestic and international services, and charter flights. Its main base is Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the main airport in Ho Chi...
.
Subsidiaries
| Company |
Type |
Principal activities |
Incorporated in |
Group's equity shareholding |
| Vietnam Airlines Engineering Company (VAECO) |
Subsidiary |
Aircraft maintenance Aircraft maintenance is the overhaul, repair, inspection or modification of an aircraft or aircraft component.Maintenance includes the installation or removal of a component from an aircraft or aircraft subassembly, but does not include:...
|
Vietnam |
100% |
| Vietnam Air Service Company Vietnam Air Service Company , also known as VASCO, is an airline in Vietnam, headquartered in Tân Bình, Ho Chi Minh City. Operating scheduled flights from its base at Tan Son Nhat International Airport to the south of the country, VASCO is a fully owned subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, it also...
(VASCO) |
Subsidiary |
Passenger transport |
Vietnam |
100% |
| Cambodia Angkor Air Cambodia Angkor Air is the national flag carrier airline of Cambodia, headquartered in Phnom Penh. It commenced operations on 28 July 2009. The airline is owned by the Cambodian Government and Vietnam Airlines , the latter allowing for codeshare flights.-History:Cambodia Angkor Air was founded on...
|
Joint venture |
Passenger transport |
Cambodia |
49% |
| Noibai Catering Services Join-Stock Company |
Subsidiary |
Catering |
Vietnam |
100% |
| Vietnam Air Caterer |
Joint venture |
Catering |
Vietnam |
65% |
| Vietnam Air Leasing Company (VALC) |
Joint venture |
Aircraft leasing |
Vietnam |
20% |
Aircraft maintenance and production
Vietnam Airlines is increasingly becoming involved in the
maintenanceAircraft maintenance is the overhaul, repair, inspection or modification of an aircraft or aircraft component.Maintenance includes the installation or removal of a component from an aircraft or aircraft subassembly, but does not include:...
, overhauling, and production of aircraft. Current maintenance works are carried out by Vietnam Airlines Engineering Company (VAECO), that was established on . VAECO was organized upon the amalgamation of the A75, A76 aircraft maintenance bases and
Da NangĐà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
technical department. VAECO carries out maintenance and technical services for Vietnam Airlines as well as for other airlines. The establishment of this company opens a new era to the aircraft maintenance field in Vietnam. At present, VAECO is capable of performing a wide range of maintenance on many different aircraft types, including line maintenance on the A300; A-checks for the
Boeing 767The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
and
Airbus A330The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
; C-checks on the
ATR 72The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology...
, Airbus A310/A320/A321 and Boeing 777; D-checks, the most thorough of all maintenance procedures, are carried out on the Fokker 70.
In addition to its self maintenance facilities, Vietnam Airlines also has maintenance contracts with
Air FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
, AMECO of China,
China AirlinesChina Airlines is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of Republic of China . Although not directly state-owned, the airline is owned by China Airlines Group, which is owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation...
, Evergreen Aviation Technologies, GAMECO, Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co,
LufthansaDeutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...
AERO, MTU Maintenance Hanover, Royal Brunei Airlines, Safe Air of New Zealand, and TAT Industries of France.
There are currently no production facilities in Vietnam for aircraft and
spare partSpare Parts may also refer to:* Spare Parts , by Status Quo* Spare Parts is a Doctor Who audio drama.* Spare Parts , by Servotron* "Spare Parts" , by Bruce Springsteen* "Spare Parts"...
s. However, Boeing has managed to obtain 35 per cent of the distribution market in Vietnam, and GE Aviation, in turn, supplies
jet engineA jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
s for the Boeing aircraft. For the future, conversely, Vietnam Airlines is planning to build a maintenance factory in conjunction with
Rolls RoyceRolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...
and other companies. It has also signed an
memorandum of understandingA memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
with
European Aeronautic Defence and Space CompanyThe European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
(EADS), which would let the corporation assemble and manufacture plane components in the future.
Destinations
Vietnam Airlines has a network within East Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe and Oceania. With more than 290 daily flights, the airline flies to 18 destinations domestically, and to 28 internationally. In addition, it has codeshare agreements with a number of airlines for 16 other routes, some of which span to North America. In 2010, the airline opened new routes to Can Tho and to Shanghai, China. Direct services to the Americas are contingent on the arrival of Vietnam Airlines' state-of-the-art Boeing 787–9 Dreamliner.
Tết flights
Vietnam Airlines traditionally increase flights between Vietnamese cities to cater for the heavy demands brought by the annual
TếtTet can mean:*Tết or Tết Nguyên Đán, the Vietnamese new year**Tet Offensive, a military campaign that began in 1968*Têt in Roussillon, France*Equal temperament, abbreviated as 12-TET, 19-TET and so on...
celebration. This busy period, which could fall anywhere from late-January to mid-February, is Vietnam's most important celebration; hundreds of extra flights are scheduled by domestic airlines during this period to allow Vietnamese to return to their families, often in the rural ares, to celebrate the occasion. In 2010, the 562 extra flights of the Ho Chi Minh City–Hanoi trunk route increased capacity by 45% to 85%. The 288 extra flights between the Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang increase capacity by 65% to 120%. From 18 January to 20 February 2011, Vietnam Airlines increased additional flights on 10 routes, adding more than 100,000 seats. More than half of these seats, about 63,000 (307 flights), were be between the country's capital and Ho Chi Minh City. This represents a remarkable 41% increase against normal days.
Alliance
, Vietnam Airlines is a SkyTeam member. As such, it codesharess with most of the alliance members. Vietnam Airlines also has codeshare agreements with four
OneworldOneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
members (
American AirlinesAmerican Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
,
Cathay PacificCathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
,
Japan Airlinesis an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...
, and
QantasQantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
) and is part of
Cathay PacificCathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
's Asia Miles program. In April 2010, the airline struck a deal with the Air France division of
Air France-KLM GroupAir France-KLM is a European airline holding company incorporated under French law with its headquarters at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Tremblay-en-France, Paris...
, which will see Vietnam Airlines flying to Paris using the Air France's AF flight code.
Codeshare agreements
Vietnam Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines, beside
SkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
members:
- Aerosvit Airlines
AeroSvit Airlines closed joint stock company , operating as AeroSvit - Ukrainian Airlines / АероСвіт, is one of the Ukrainian flag carriers. Its head office is on the grounds of Boryspil International Airport in Boryspil, Kiev Oblast, Ukraine...
- Cambodia Angkor Air
Cambodia Angkor Air is the national flag carrier airline of Cambodia, headquartered in Phnom Penh. It commenced operations on 28 July 2009. The airline is owned by the Cambodian Government and Vietnam Airlines , the latter allowing for codeshare flights.-History:Cambodia Angkor Air was founded on...
(affiliate)
- Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
(OneworldOneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
)
- Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Established in July 2003 and based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad commenced operations in November 2003....
- Garuda Indonesia
PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk , publicly known as Garuda Indonesia, is the flag carrier of Indonesia. It is named after the mystical giant bird Garuda of Hinduism and Buddhist mythology. It is headquartered at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, near Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia...
(future SkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
member)
- Japan Airlines
is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...
(OneworldOneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
)
- Lao Airlines
Lao Airlines is an airline based in Vientiane, Laos. It is the national airline of Laos, operating domestic services to ten destinations and international services to Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore. Its main base is Wattay International Airport, Vientiane.- History :The airline...
- Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines, Inc. operating as Philippine Airlines, is a flag carrier of the Philippines. Headquartered in the Philippine National Bank Financial Center in Pasay City, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name...
- Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
(OneworldOneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
)
- Vietnam Air Service Company
Vietnam Air Service Company , also known as VASCO, is an airline in Vietnam, headquartered in Tân Bình, Ho Chi Minh City. Operating scheduled flights from its base at Tan Son Nhat International Airport to the south of the country, VASCO is a fully owned subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, it also...
(subsidiary)
Passenger
, Vietnam Airlines operates a fleet of 69 aircraft with an average age of 6.7 years. The carrier plans to expand its fleet to 110 aircraft by 2015. Three aircraft (one Airbus A321-200 and two ATR 72s) that are on lease to Cambodia Angkor Air are not included in the following figures.
Vietnam Airlines fleet
| Aircraft |
Total |
Orders |
Passengers |
Deliveries
Retirement |
Routes |
Notes |
| C |
Y+ |
Y |
Total |
| Airbus A320-200 The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
|
10 |
— |
— |
— |
162 |
162 |
|
Short- and medium-haul international and domestic |
|
| 12 |
138 |
150 |
| Airbus A321-200 The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
|
26 |
25 |
16 |
— |
168 |
184 |
2008–2011 |
Short- to medium-haul international and domestic |
|
Airbus A330-200The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
|
11 |
|
24 |
— |
242 |
266 |
|
Medium-haul international and domestic |
AVOD Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
in-flight entertainment
VN-A371 aircraft painted in SkyTeam livery |
Airbus A350-900The Airbus A350 is a family of long-range, wide-body jet airliners under development by European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.A consortium originally comprising European aerospace companies from the UK, France, Spain and West Germany, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known...
|
— |
12 |
TBA |
2014 |
Long-haul international |
|
| Airbus A380-800 The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
|
— |
4 |
TBA |
2015 |
Long-haul international |
MOU A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
with AirbusAirbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
signed in November 2009
May change to the -900 version |
| ATR 72 The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology...
|
12 |
9 |
— |
— |
66 |
66 |
|
Short-haul international and domestic |
|
Boeing 777-200ERThe Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
|
10 |
— |
25 |
54 |
228 |
307 |
|
Long-haul international and domestic |
AVOD Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
in-flight entertainment
|
| 27 |
54 |
228 |
309 |
| 35 |
— |
290 |
325 |
| Boeing 787–9 |
— |
16 |
TBA |
2015 |
Long-haul international |
|
| Fokker 70 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
79 |
79 |
2012 |
Short-haul international and domestic |
Replacement aircraft: Airbus A321 |
| Total |
71 |
70 |
Cargo
Vietnam Airlines Cargo is the air freight division of Vietnam Airlines, providing cargo service to destinations in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, through their own network as well as partners' networks. The division has the number of following aircraft, some of which are passenger aircraft with dedicated cargo holds:
Vietnam Airlines Cargo Fleet
| Aircraft |
Total |
Order |
Notes |
Airbus A300The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
|
3 |
— |
Freight capacity: 13 tonnes |
| Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
|
2 |
— |
VNA's passenger aircraft's cargo holds
Freight capacity: 2.5 tonnes |
Airbus A330The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
|
2 |
— |
VNA's passenger aircraft's cargo holds
Freight capacity: 15 tonnes |
Boeing 777-200ERThe Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
|
3 |
— |
VNA's passenger aircraft cargo holds
Freight capacity: 13–17 tonnes |
Previously operated
Since its conception in 1956, the airline has operated a wide range of aircraft. This varies between Russia, American, and European aircraft. However, the airline currently only uses Boeing, ATR, Airbus and Fokker aircraft, having retiring Soviet-made planes. However, one Tu-134 and Ilyushin Il-18 have been retained as possible future museum exhibits, and are presently parked at the apron of Noi Bai International Airport.
Below is a list of retired Vietnam Airlines aircraft (with the number of aircraft in brackets):
- Antonov An-2
The Antonov An-2 is a single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed in the USSR in 1946...
- Antonov An-24
The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...
- Aero Ae-45
- Airbus A300-200
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
- Airbus A310-200
The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
- Airbus A330-300
- Boeing 737–300
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
- Boeing 767-300ER
- Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
- Ilyushin Il-14
The Ilyushin Il-14 was a Soviet twin-engine commercial and military personnel and cargo transport aircraft that first flew in 1950, and entered service in 1954. Il-14 was also manufactured in East Germany by VVB Flugzeugbau, in Czechoslovakia as the Avia 14, and in China under the Chinese...
- Ilyushin Il-18
The Ilyushin Il-18 is a large turboprop airliner that became one of the best known Soviet aircraft of its era as well as one of the most popular and durable, having first flown in 1957 and still in use over 50 years later. The Il-18 was one of the world's principal airliners for several decades...
- Tupolev Tu-134
The Tupolev Tu-134 is a twin-engined airliner, similar to the American Douglas DC-9 and the French Sud Aviation Caravelle, and built in the Soviet Union from 1966–1984. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain other Russian airliners , it can operate from unpaved...
- Yakovlev Yak-40
The Yakovlev Yak-40 is a small, three-engined airliner that is often called the first regional jet transport aircraft...
Entertainment
On long-haul international flights served by some Boeing 777-200ERs, seats in all cabin classes are equipped with
audio video on demandVideo on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
(AVOD) in-flight entertainment via personal televisions. Vietnam Airlines offers two in-flight magazines,
Heritage and
Heritage Fashion, on board both domestic and international flights.
Cabins
Business
Business classBusiness class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
is the highest of three cabin classes offered by the airline. As is the case with business class cabins in most airlines, the amenities offered in this class are substantially different from economy class, and more services and products are available. On Boeing 777s, business class seats are 61.3 centimetres (24.1 in) wide with 150 centimetres (59.1 in) of leg room – 69 centimetres (27.2 in) more than in economy class), and are able to recline with a pitch of 150°. Laid out in a 2–3–2 configuration, each seat is equipped with
lumbarIn tetrapod anatomy, lumbar is an adjective that means of or pertaining to the abdominal segment of the torso, between the diaphragm and the sacrum ...
support and a 10.4 in. personal touch screen, capable of delivering AVOD. Hot meals are offered on flights lasting longer than two hours.
Deluxe Economy
Deluxe economy, Vietnam Airlines’ equivalent of
premium economyPremium economy is a travel class offered on some airlines, positioned in price, comfort, and amenities between economy class and business class. As of 2011, the term is not standardized among airlines, and varies significantly when comparing its use on domestic versus international flights or...
, has a wider seat width and legroom compared to Economy at 97 centimetres (38.2 in) , and is laid out 3–3–3. This class is offered only on selected Boeing 777 flights. On flights over 90 minutes, snacks are served; on 2-hour plus flights, as in business class, hot meals are served.
Economy
Economy class__FORCETOC__Economy class, also called coach class , steerage, or standard class, is the lowest class of seating in air travel, rail travel, and sometimes ferry or maritime travel....
is available on all flights operated by Vietnam Airlines. Seats in this cabin feature seats ranging from 20 inches (50.8 cm) (Airbus A330) to 20.9 inches (53.1 cm) (Boeing 777) in width. Seat pitch on this cabin class is 31–32 in (78.7–81.3 cm) 31–32 in., while seat recline is from 6–13. Like Deluxe Economy, snacks are served on flights over 90 minutes, with hot meals available on flights that are 2 hours or more.
Accidents and incidents
According to
Aviation Safety Network-External links:**...
, Vietnam Airlines experienced six accidents/incidents since 1951, with two of them leading to fatalities. Both deadly accidents occurred on final approach, and both involved Soviet-built aircraft. The deadliest one took place on , when a
Tupolev Tu-134B-3The Tupolev Tu-134 is a twin-engined airliner, similar to the American Douglas DC-9 and the French Sud Aviation Caravelle, and built in the Soviet Union from 1966–1984. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain other Russian airliners , it can operate from unpaved...
crashed after hitting trees on approach to
Phnom Penh International Airport-Statistics:-International terminal profile:*Total capacity: 2 million passengers**Surface: **Waiting lounges: **VIP Lounge: **Food & Beverage: **Duty Free: *Seat capacity: 360*Check-in counters: 22*Visa, Immigration and Customs counters: 30...
; the
death tollDeath Toll is a 2008 action film starring DMX, Lou Diamond Phillips, Leila Arcieri and Keshia Knight Pulliam, written and produced by Daniel Garcia of the rap group Kane & Abel and directed by Phenomenon...
rose to 65. The other fatal accident occurred on , when a
Yakovlev Yak-40The Yakovlev Yak-40 is a small, three-engined airliner that is often called the first regional jet transport aircraft...
crashed on approach to Cam Ranh International Airport, killing 30 of 31 occupants aboard. The airline has also experienced a
hijackingAircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
episode in 1992, without any recorded fatality.
External links