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VietJet and Air India sign partnership agreement
December 16th 2016
Indian flag carrier, Air India, and new-kid-on-the-block and the largest domestic airline in Vietnam, VietJet Air, this week signed a comprehensive sales, marketing and training initiatives partnership. Read More »
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Delhi by Air India board member and director for commercial affairs, Pankaj Srivastava, and VietJet vice-president, Dinh Viet Phuong.
The two carriers plan to “co-commence direct flights” between India and Vietnam in 2017, starting with a Ho Chi Minh City-Delhi route. Speaking at the signing ceremony, VietJet’s Dinh Viet Phuong said the LCC hoped “Air India’s aviation experience and capabilities” would help its access to India.
VietJet does not fly to India and Air India does not fly to Vietnam, which has given Thai Airways International (THAI), Malaysia Airlines and the region’s budget operators free rein into India. Separately, VietJet on Monday started a four-weekly Haiphong-Seoul A320 route, one of countless route launches this year.
Elsewhere in Vietnam, the country’s transportation ministry is considering a cap on new aircraft registrations until 2020. It has suggested Vietnam’s four carriers be limited to adding 98 aircraft to thier fleets in the next three years because of growing congestion and limited runway space at Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh airports. Vietnam’s airlines fly 142 aircraft but combined they have more than 200 on order.
China Aircraft Leasing Group (CALC) on Wednesday delivered the fourth A320ceo to Vietnam’s Jetstar Pacific Airlines. The aircraft will join an existing fleet of 13 leased A320s flying with the airline on domestic and regional routes. Based in Ho Chi Minh City, Jetstar Pacific is a joint venture between Vietnam Airlines (70%) and the Qantas Group (30%). The LCC also has 10 A320ceo on direct order from Airbus.
