Flag carrier to wing it to London

June 20, 2011 | 16:04

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Vietnam Airlines will open its first direct flight to London and fourth direct flight route to Europe, to boost trade and investment relations between Vietnam and the United Kingdom.

Flights will start on December 8, 2011, linking Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi and Gatwick airport in London, the second largest airport in United Kingdom and the 10^th largest one in the world.

Vietnam Airlines opened three other direct flights to Europe, including Paris, Frankfurt and Moscow.

“The new direct flight will develop a flight network for Vietnam Airlines and strengthen the position of Vietnam as a gateway to Indochina,” said Pham Ngoc Minh, general director of Vietnam Airlines.

Stewart Wingate, chief executive officer at Gatwick Airport, said the airport would create all favourable conditions for Vietnam Airlines, helping the airline to reach the target and boosting the relations between Vietnam and the United Kingdom.

Economic relations between Vietnam and the United Kingdom have been developing rapidly since the two countries set up a strategy partnership relation on September 8, 2010.

Last year, the bilateral trade turnover of the two countries reached over $2 billion. United Kingdom is also a big investing country in Vietnam with total commitment capital of around $3 billion.

According to Vietnam Airlines, the volume of British visiting to Vietnam increases 20 per cent each year.

By Ngoc Linh

vir.com.vn

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