Airbus has 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 the carrier’s order of 14 Airbus A350-900s, marking another milestone in Vietnam Airlines’ fleet development and expansion programme as it moves towards Skytrax 5-star status.
Duong Tri Thanh, President and CEO of Vietnam Airlines said: “The Airbus aircraft accounts for 90% of our fleet, which has shown Airbus’ enormous contribution to Vietnam Airlines’ success. The event today marks an important milestone for Vietnam Airlines’ and Airbus’ enduring relationship, providing us with unparalleled opportunities for growth in the future with newer, more efficient and suitable type of aircraft.”
Jean-François Laval, Executive Vice President Asia of Airbus said: “We are delighted to celebrate Vietnam Airlines’ fourteenth A350-900. For everyone at Airbus, it has been a great source of pride and satisfaction to see the A350 flying in Vietnam Airlines’ distinctive colours. 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 the second airline in the world to operate the new generation wide-body aircraft Airbus A350-900. Over the past four years, the carrier’s Airbus A350-900 fleet has served more than 30 domestic and international routes, mainly 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 with nearly 9 million passengers.
The Airbus A350-900 features a spacious cabin, higher ceilings, larger windows, more leg room, fully lie-flat Business Class seats, and an upgraded entertainment system with larger screen, contributing to Vietnam Airlines’ journey towards Skytrax 5-star standards.
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 up to 86 Airbus aircraft, accounting for 88 per cent of its fleet. Vietnam Airlines is also the only airline in Vietnam using the new generation of wide-body aircraft Airbus A350-900.
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