Airbus presented Vietnam Airlines’ 14th Airbus A350-900 which will join the national flag carrier’s fleet at a special ceremony in Toulouse.
The ceremony was attended by the Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, and high-ranking officials of the National Assembly of Vietnam.
The aircraft (registration number: VN-A899) will complete Vietnam Airlines’ order of 14 Airbus A350-900s, marking another milestone in the national flag carrier’s fleet development and expansion programme as it moves towards Skytrax 5-star status.
Duong Tri Thanh, Vietnam Airlines President and CEO said:
“The Airbus aircraft account for nearly 90% of our fleet, which demonstrates Airbus’ enormous contribution to Vietnam Airlines’ success. Today’s event marks an important milestone for Vietnam Airlines’ and Airbus’ enduring relationship, which provides us with unparalleled opportunities for future growth through the operation of newer, more efficient and suitable aircraft.”
Jean-François Laval, Executive Vice President Asia of Airbus, said:
“We are delighted to celebrate Vietnam Airlines’ 14thA350-900. For everyone at Airbus, it has been a great source of pride and satisfaction to see the A350 flying in Vietnam Airlines’ distinctive colors. We are proud that Airbus aircraft have served as a platform for the airline to grow at home and abroad, and contributed to the development of the Vietnamese economy.”
In July 2015, Vietnam Airlines became the first airline in Southeast Asia, and only the second airline worldwide, to operate the next generation wide-body Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
Over the past four years, the carrier’s Airbus A350-900 fleet has served more than 30 domestic and international routes, primarily comprising the transcontinental routes to Europe, Australia and Northeast Asia, and domestic flights between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
As of April 2019, Vietnam Airlines’ Airbus A350 fleet had successfully operated 35,000 flights and carried nearly 9 million passengers.
Vietnam Airlines Group (including Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and Cambodia Angkor Air) operates a total of 105 aircraft from Airbus, including 89 narrow-body and 16 wide-body aircraft, while Vietnam Airlines operates 86 Airbus aircraft, accounting for 88 percent of its fleet.
Vietnam Airlines is also the only airline in Vietnam currently operating the wide-body Airbus A350-900 aircraft.