Vietnam
Airlines have announced that it has placed orders for an additional 16 Airbus
A321s and 2 additional Airbus A350 XWBs aircraft.
Vietnam
Airlines are bucking the trends with most airlines decreasing aircraft orders,
and is perhaps a sign an increasing market for Vietnam Airlines.
The full
press release from Airbus can be read below:
Vietnam
Airlines today announced at the Paris Air Show that it has placed a firm order
with Airbus for 16 more single aisle A321s and signed a Memorandum of
Understanding for two additional A350 XWBs.
The latest A321 contract increases the total number of orders placed by Vietnam
Airlines for the type to 41, of which 14 have already been delivered. The
commitment for the A350 XWBs comes in addition to an existing firm order for 10
aircraft placed in December 2007. Vietnam Airlines has selected the A350-900
variant of the all-new midsize widebody.
"Our new order for the A321 reflects
the success we have achieved with the aircraft on both our regional and
domestic route networks," said Pham
Ngoc Minh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vietnam Airlines. "In the widebody category, we firmly
believe that the A350 XWB will set new standards of efficiency and passenger
comfort, making it the right choice to develop our intercontinental route
network."
"Vietnam will remain one of the key
growth markets in Asia in coming years," said Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders. "With the Airbus single aisle family and the all-new A350 XWB,
Vietnam Airlines will be operating one of the most modern and efficient fleets
in the region and will be well placed to meet demand on both its Asian and
international services."
Vietnam Airlines currently operates a fleet of 52 modern aircraft and flies to
19 domestic and 23 international destinations.
The A321 is the largest member of the Airbus A320 Family. It typically seats
185 passengers in a two-class layout and has a non-stop flying range of 3,000
nautical miles or 5,550 kilometres.
The A350 XWB is Airbus' new medium-capacity long-range widebody product.
Capable of flying up to 8,300 nm / 15,400 km, it has the widest fuselage in its
category and offers the lowest operating costs and lowest seat mile cost of any
aircraft in this market segment.