is expected to stir up competition in the domestic market, which is
currently overloaded.
Air Mekong , Vietnam's third private air carrier, is scheduled to launch its maiden flight on October 10.
The airline has received delivery of four Canadian Bombardier CRJ 900
aircraft, owned by the US company Skywest Leasing. Each aircraft has
90 business and economy-class seats.
Truong Thanh Vu, Air
Mekong’s Commercial Director, said that his airline is currently waiting
for its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from Vietnam’s Civil
Aviation Administration.
Air Mekong is scheduled to provide
passenger and cargo services on routes from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
City to Da Nang , Nha Trang, Da Lat, Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Ban Me
Thuot, Hai Phong and Vinh.
Meanwhile, Blue Sky Air, Vietnam’s first joint private airline, will focus on services for industry, the
agricultural and fisheries sector and the construction industry. It has
been allowed to use helicopters, seaplanes and other kinds of
airplanes.
Blue Sky already operates two airplanes and will
gradually increase its fleet to meet the market’s demand. The carrier is
registered to provide services on 20 routes to well-known Vietnamese
commercial and tourist areas such as Vung Tau, Ninh Thuan, Dak Lak, Con
Dao, Can Tho, Ca Mau and Phu Quoc.
Around 26.2 million passengers and 445,800 tonnes of cargo were transported by air in 2009, four times the number in 2000.
In the first seven months of this year, the country saw a 33 percent increase in air travel over the same period last year.
This number indicates that Vietnam’s air market has grown rapidly.
Vietnam has to date granted licences to nine operational
airlines, including Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific Airlines, Vasco,
Viet Air, Indochina Airlines, Mekong Air, VietJet Air, Blue Sky Air and
Trai Thien Air.
Of these airlines, Vasco and Viet Air are both subsidiaries of Vietnam Airlines and Trai Thien Air only provides cargo services.
The
national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines holds more than 80 percent of
all domestic services, which is attributed to the overloading of the
domestic market, particularly the routes from HCM City to Phu Quoc
and Da Nang./.
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