Vietjet and Bamboo Airways order 110 airplanes from Boeing

Vietjet placed an order for 100 airplanes from Boeing

Today, on the occasion of the visit of United States President Donald Trump to Vietnam to join the Democratic People's Republic of Korea-United States Summit, Vietjet and Bamboo Airways signed contracts with Boeing to buy an additional 110 airplanes.

Notably, innovative and growing Vietnamese carrier Vietjet purchased 100 additional 737 MAX airplanes for $12.7 billion, according to list prices, taking their MAX order to 200 jets.

The deal includes 20 MAX 8s and 80 of the new, larger MAX 10 variant, which will have the lowest seat-mile costs for a single-aisle airplane and be the most profitable jet in its market segment.

By ordering 80 MAX 10s, Vietjet becomes the largest Asian customer of the airplane type. The carrier plans to use the added capacity to meet growing demand across Vietnam, as well as to serve popular destinations throughout Asia.

737 MAX airplane

“The deal for 200 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes is an important move for us to keep up with our international flight network expansion plan with a higher capacity, thus offering our passengers more exciting experiences and taking them to more new international destinations,” said Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, president and CEO of Vietjet. “I believe that our fleet will have breakthroughs thanks to new-generation technologies, which will improve flight quality and enhance operational reliability, while reducing operating costs in the future. Passengers will then have more opportunities to fly with reasonable fares. The contract signing ceremony, which is witnessed by the top leaders of Vietnam and the US on the occasion of the US-North Korea Summit in Hanoi, will mark a milestone in the two companies’ growth.”

Vietjet placed its first order for 100 737 MAX airplanes in 2016, which set the mark for the largest commercial jet purchase in Vietnam’s aviation sector at the time.

“We are pleased to expand our partnership with Vietjet and to support their impressive growth with new, advanced airplanes such as the 737 MAX. We are confident the MAX will help Vietjet grow more efficiently and provide great travel experiences for their passengers,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Kevin McAllister. “The economic expansion in Hanoi and across Vietnam is impressive. Vietjet and the country’s burgeoning aviation sector are clearly enablers, helping to stimulate travel within Vietnam and connecting Vietnam with the rest of Asia. We are proud to support this economic development, which in turn supports engineering and manufacturing jobs in the United States.”

In addition to the airplane purchases, Boeing will partner with Vietjet to enhance technical and engineering expertise, train pilots and technicians, and improve management capabilities at the airline and in Vietnam.

The carrier also uses Boeing’s digital solutions to optimise its operations, including flight planning and Tech Log Book.

The signing ceremony between Bamboo Airways and Boeing

Meanwhile, Bamboo Airways confirmed an order for 10 787-9 Dreamliners valued at $3 billion according to list prices.

“We are excited to add the new 787 Dreamliner to our growing fleet,” said Trinh Van Quyet, chairman of FLC Group and owner of Bamboo Airways. "Our long-term vision is to connect Vietnam with key markets in Asia, Europe, and North America and the Dreamliner will enable us to launch these long-haul operations. The 787's superior operating economics and efficiency, as well as the passenger-pleasing interior of the Dreamliner, will allow us to successfully grow our business while enabling us to better serve our customers.”

787 Dreamliner

Bamboo Airways, a startup airline founded in 2017, began commercial operations in January 2019, offering flights linking the capital of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with other cities in Vietnam. The airline plans to offer up to 40 domestic routes in 2019. Additionally, Bamboo Airways is preparing to launch international routes to Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia, before broadening services to other destinations in Asia, Europe, and North America.

"The 787 Dreamliner’s unmatched efficiency, range, and flexibility make it the perfect airplane for Bamboo Airways to achieve its long-range ambitions. We are excited to advance the partnership between Boeing and Bamboo Airways and we look forward to helping them connect Asia with Europe, North America, and beyond,” said Kevin McAllister, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

The 787 Dreamliner family allows airlines to fly long range while reducing fuel costs by more than 20 per cent compared to previous widebody jets. The Dreamliner’s superior efficiency and range have allowed airlines to open more than 210 new non-stop routes around the world since it entered service.

At 63 metres (206 feet), the 787-9 can fly 290 passengers in a typical two-class configuration for up to 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 kilometres). The airplane is six metres longer than the original Dreamliner and is capable of carrying more passengers and flying farther.

The 787 Dreamliner is the fastest-selling widebody airplane in history with more than 1,400 orders from 75 customers since its launch. Nearly 800 Dreamliners have entered service around the world, helping airlines save 33 billion pounds of fuel.

Bamboo Airways is wholly-owned by FLC Group, a Vietnamese multi-industry company focusing on aviation, real estate, resorts, farming, and golf.