News
Vietnam Airlines plans Los Angeles flights and signs for 12 A321neos from ALC
October 21st 2016
Vietnamese flag carrier, Hanoi-headquartered Vietnam Airlines, plans to launch nonstop Ho Chi Minh-Los Angeles flights from 2018 with its quickly expanding fleet of A350-900s. Read More »
It currently has four A350s out of an initial order for 14, but it signed an additional memorandum of understanding with Airbus in September for an extra ten -900s from 2018 for a total fleet of 24. The national airline configures its XWBs in a 305-seater layout, comprising 29 business, 45 premium economy and 231 economy class seats.
At 8,169 miles, the new route between Ho Chi Minh and Los Angeles will be slightly shorter than the world’s longest A350 route of 8,446 miles launching between Singapore and San Francisco this Sunday.
In other updates, on Tuesday the airline said it had signed a long-term agreement with Air Lease Corporation (ALC) for twelve A321neo aircraft. The first six frames will be delivered in 2018, with the remaining six following the next year. Last year, ALC announced long term lease contracts with Vietnam Airlines for eight B787-10s, which are scheduled to begin delivering in 2019 and continue through to 2021.
"Since 2010 ALC has been working closely with the leadership of Vietnam Airlines to develop a long term fleet plan. We’re excited to support the development of one of the fastest growing airlines in Asia, and will continue to drive this important relationship between ALC and Vietnam Airlines," said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, ALC’s executive chairman.
Vietnam Airlines remains 75% state-owned. Earlier this year it sold an 8.77% stake to Japan’s ANA Holdings for more than 2.4 trillion Vietnamese dong.
