Air Mekong starts maiden commercial flights

Passengers disembark from the Air Mekong’s plane as it lands on Phu Quoc Island last Friday - Photo: Dinh Dung

HCMC – Vietnam’s Air Mekong officially launched its maiden domestic commercial flights last Friday, taking its first step into the local airline market after two years of preparation.

The country’s third private carrier marked its presence in the market with eight domestic routes, including Hanoi – Phu Quoc, HCMC – Phu Quoc, and Hanoi – HCMC. There are also routes from Hanoi to Danang, Nha Trang, Dalat, and routes from HCMC to Danang, Nha Trang, Dalat, Con Dao, Buon Ma Thuot, Haiphong and Vinh.

The airline, which uses a red-headed crane symbol as its logo, uses four three-year-old Bombardier CRJ-900s, chartered from the U.S.-based Sky West Leasing Inc. to provide 26 daily domestic flights.

These planes are configured with 10 deluxe-class and 80 economy-class seats. Doan Quoc Viet, board chairman of Air Mekong, said at a ceremony to receive the Aircraft Operator Certificate (AOC) held in Phu Quoc Island last week that the carrier’s strategy was to expand its network to different destinations in the country.

An AOC is required for any air carrier to operation commercial flights. Viet explained the reason to have chosen Bombardier CRJ-900s for starting up business, saying that the jet-engine airplanes could land on almost all runways in the country thanks to their small size.

He said Air Mekong’s strategy was not to compete for market share by cutting fares, but rather by improving the quality of service. It operates as a traditional airline, concentrating on the segment of economy-class passengers.

The start-up carrier is upbeat about the maiden flights’ seat occupancy as the number of tickets booked for the first flights has gone beyond its expectation of 1,000 tickets launched in a promotion program, according to the chairman.

The airline offers a VND400,000 fare for a single trip from HCMC to Con Dao, Phu Quoc, Pleiku and Buon Ma Thuot, VND800,000 for a trip from Hanoi to HCMC, Dalat, Pleiku, and Buon Ma Thuot, and VND1.2 million for a journey from the capital city of Hanoi to Phu Quoc Island.

Viet said Air Mekong planned to increase its daily frequencies to 34 flights on 10 air routes next month, a time when demand for air travel begins to pick up within Vietnam. He also revealed the carrier’s expansion plan, saying that Air Mekong targeted to increase its fleet to 10 airplanes next year, and would offer international flights to some neighboring countries in the next two years.

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Third private carrier flies Vietnam's skies

Air Mekong, Vietnam's third private airline, received its Air Operator's Certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) in southern Kien Giang Province on Friday.

On the same day, the carrier also launched its first two routes, Hanoi – Phu Quoc and Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc.

"The Vietnamese aviation market is dramatically developing. The aviation demand, especially for domestic flights, will increase considerably in the next few years," said CAAV deputy director Dinh Viet Thang.

"The introduction of Air Mekong is essential to meeting market demand, diversifying aviation services and increasing competitiveness," Thang said.

"The CAAV's certificate will open up a new page for our development", said Air Mekong chairman Doan Quoc Viet.

Air Mekong would start commercial operations since Saturday with eight flights from Hanoi and HCMC to Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Buon Me Thuot, Pleiku, Viet said, adding that they would expand operations to 10 flights from November including destinations of Dalat in the Central Highlands and Danang City.

The airline has launched a promotional offer until November 9 with 1,000 tickets at prices ranging from VND400,000 to VND1.2 million (US$20.50-61.50) for flights on all its domestic routes. Tickets are on sale at travel agents and via Air Mekong's website and customer care centers.

Air Mekong was established in 2009 by Ha Long Investment and Development Co and is based at Phu Quoc Airport. The existing two private carriers operating in Vietnam are Indochina Airlines and VietJet AirAsia.

The CAAV said there were also a number of other organisations and individuals planning to launch airlines. To qualify, private operators must have a charter capital of at least VND500 billion ($26.3 million) to fly internationally and VND200 billion ($10.5 million) to launch domestic flights. They must also meet strict aviation and security standards.

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Third private carrier flies Vietnam's skies

Air Mekong, Vietnam's third private airline, received its Air Operator's
Certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) in
southern Kien Giang province on Oct.8.

On the same day, the carrier also launched its first two routes, Hanoi – Phu Quoc and HCM City – Phu Quoc.

"The Vietnamese aviation market is dramatically developing. The
aviation demand, especially for domestic flights, will increase
considerably in the next few years," said CAAV deputy director Dinh Viet
Thang.

"The introduction of Air Mekong is essential
to meeting market demand, diversifying aviation services and increasing
competitiveness," Thang said.

"The CAAV's certificate will open up a new page for our development", said Air Mekong chairman Doan Quoc Viet.

Air Mekong would start commercial operations since Oct.9 with eight
flights from Ha Noi and HCM City to Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Buon Me Thuot,
Pleiku, Viet said, adding that they would expand operations to 10
flights from November including destinations of Da Lat in the Central
Highlands and Da Nang city.

The airline has launched
a promotional offer until November 9 with 1,000 tickets at prices
ranging from 400,000 VND to 1.2 million VND (20.50-61.50 USD) for
flights on all its domestic routes. Tickets are on sale at travel agents
and via Air Mekong's website and customer care centres.

Air Mekong was establish in 2009 by Ha Long Investment and Development
Company and is based at Phu Quoc Airport. The existing two private
carriers operating in Vietnam are Indochina Airlines and VietJet
AirAsia.

The CAAV said there were also a number of
other organisations and individuals planning to launch airlines. To
qualify, private operators must have a charter capital of at least 500
billion VND (26.3 million USD) to fly internationally and 200 billion
VND (10.5 million USD) to launch domestic flights. They must also meet
strict aviation and security standards./.

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Third private carrier flies Viet Nam's skies

KIEN GIANG — Air Mekong, Viet Nam's third private airline, received its Air Operator's Certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam (CAAV) in southern Kien Giang Province on Friday.

On the same day, the carrier also launched its first two routes, Ha Noi – Phu Quoc and HCM City – Phu Quoc.

"The Vietnamese aviation market is dramatically developing. The aviation demand, especially for domestic flights, will increase considerably in the next few years," said CAAV deputy director Dinh Viet Thang.

"The introduction of Air Mekong is essential to meeting market demand, diversifying aviation services and increasing competitiveness," Th¨¨ang said.

"The CAAV's certificate will open up a new page for our development", said Air Mekong chairman Doan Quoc Viet.

Air Mekong would start commercial operations since Saturday with eight flights from Ha Noi and HCM City to Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Buon Me Thuot, Pleiku, Viet said, adding that they would expand operations to 10 flights from November including destinations of Da Lat in the Central Highlands and Da Nang City.

The airline has launched a promotional offer until November 9 with 1,000 tickets at prices ranging from VND400,000 to VND1.2 million (US$20.50-$61.50) for flights on all its domestic routes. Tickets are on sale at travel agents and via Air Mekong's website and customer care centres.

Air Mekong was establish in 2009 by Ha Long Investment and Development Company and is based at Phu Quoc Airport. The existing two private carriers operating in Viet Nam are Indochina Airlines and VietJet AirAsia.

The CAAV said there were also a number of other organisations and individuals planning to launch airlines. To qualify, private operators must have a charter capital of at least VND500 billion ($26.3 million) to fly internationally and VND200 billion ($10.5 million) to launch domestic flights. They must also meet strict aviation and security standards. — VNS

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