Some 200 new 737 BMAX aircraft will soon join the Vietjet fleet of planes after the airline carrier reaffirmed its commitment with Boeing during the 2022 Franborough International AirShow recently, one of the world’s biggest aerospace events. Both companies have reached an agreement on the 200 aircraft order and will soon execute a flexible aircraft delivery schedule in a bid to support and meet Vietjet’s growth plans.With more new routes launched by Vietjet this year alone to keep up with the growing demand of air travel as it continues to recover and pick up speed, this aircraft order is indeed a timely one. As a start, the first 50 aircrafts will be delivered to Thai Vietjet – the affiliate company of Vietjet in Thailand. Thai Vietjet is currently one of the leading domestic airlines in Thailand and is one that is favoured among the Thai people.
In the order agreement that was signed between the two companies, Boeing will also be providing and supporting Vietjet with maintenance, technical support, training to ensure lasting and sustainable growth with the highest levels of efficiency, reliability and affordability.
“This agreement is a milestone in the long-standing and trusting relationship between Vietjet and Boeing, as well as the Vietnam – U.S trade economy. Taking into account the recent aviation infrastructure contraints in Vietnam, the first 50 aircrafts will be delivered to Thai Vietjet and it will be embedded with Vietjet’s signature livery. These Boeing aircrafts will soon take off into the Thai skies with investment from international finance resources,” said Dinh Viet Phuong, managing director of Vietjet.
This aircraft deal has been a long-standing one, with the first order for 100 B737 Max aircrafts announced back in 2016, and then increased to 200 aircrafts in 2019, marking a record-breaking deal for Boeing. However, due to the challenges and impacts of the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic, Boeing’s global supply chain was affected and this resulted in an interruption of the aircraft delivery.
Despite all the challenges faced by both Boeing and Vietjet, both companies weathered the storm and were able to show excellent operation and finance capabilities that will only continue to grow in the future. The fact that Vietjet and Boeing still followed through with this agreement now is a testament of its remarkable and trusting relationship between the two companies.
“We are honored to continue our partnership with Vietjet to drive affordable passenger service in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation regions. The B737 Max, with its efficiency, flexibility, and capability, will support Vietjet’s goal to grow its route network in Asia and beyond,” said John Bruns, vice president of India & Southeast Asia Sales and Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
In addition, this huge order is also expected to attract investment into Vietnam’s aviation industry and could see hundreds of thousands of jobs created for the country, including new openings in airports, air traffic control, technical services, training centres, research centres and so on.
The airlines has recently announced new regional hubs at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, adding 11 new direct flights to key Vietnamese cities, and totaling its India-Vietnam flight network to 17 routes from September onwards.
