The nation's sixth air carrier, Vietravel Airlines, is officially taking off.
Based at Phu Bai International Airport near Hue, Vietravel Airlines will operate one to two flights a day between Saigon, Hue and Hanoi followed by flights to tourist destinations including Nha Trang, Quy Nhon and Phu Quoc. It has received two of the three Airbus A321CEO it plans to have in use prior to the Tet holiday.
So far, the carrier has hired 200 pilots and flight attendants with aims to expand its fleet to 30 to prepare for international operations once possible. It hopes to service one million passengers in its first year and targets to break even in its second.
Tickets priced at 0VND (excluding taxes and other fees) went on sale Tuesday at 1am and will be available until January 25 for the first 50,000 passengers. The offer is applicable to commercial flights taking off between January 25 when routes begin until February 5.
Vietravel Airlines General Director Vũ Đức Biên explained that beginning operations during the pandemic has been fortuitous because it allowed the fledgling airline to acquire aircraft and recruit employees at competitive rates. Low fuel costs and a government stimulus program have also been helpful.
Vietravel Airlines positions itself as a hybrid budget and traditional airline with ticket prices ranging between that of VietJet and Bamboo Airlines. While new to the aviation industry, Vietravel Airlines belongs to the Vietravel tourism company which began in 1992 with an initial capital investment of VND6 million. The air carrier obtained a total investment of VND700 billion (US$30.2 million).
[Photo via Vietravel Airlines]
