With the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirming the country’s complicity with international safety standards, Vietnamese airlines have been granted access to the U.S. commercial aviation market, allowing the country’s carriers to both fly to the U.S., and also codeshare with American carriers. Vietnamese airlines that will now be able to fly to the U.S. include Vietnam Airlines JSC, Bamboo Airways and VietJet Aviation JSC.
There is an immediate concern that Vietnamese airlines may struggle to make routes to the U.S. profitable owing to a lack of high-paying business travelers. According to Reuters, Bamboo Airways Chairman Trinh Van Quyet confirmed that Bamboo Airways was considering destinations such as Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco, with the first route to open in late 2020 or early 2021. The airline has placed an order for 20 Boeing Co 787s for long-haul flights.
Vietnam Airlines said it was in talks with Airbus and Boeing about potential jet purchases for the U.S. route, though these won’t arrive prior to 2022, but existing codeshares with Delta Air Lines could be expanded after the rating.
Low-cost carrier VietJet confirmed its intention to acquire wide-body jets capable of non-stop U.S. flights, believeing its experience in keeping costs down will give it an effective business model.
VietJet’s vice president To Viet Thang said in a statement: “We plan to open routes to cities with Vietnamese communities living in the United States such as in California, serving the large traveling and commercial demand from customers,”
