Jetstar Pacific expands aircraft fleet to seven

HCMC - Jetstar Pacific increased its aircraft fleet to seven for domestic services on Sunday when the local low-cost carrier took delivery of one new Airbus A320 at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The new 180-seat plane is part of Jetstar Pacific’s plan to gradually replace its Boeing B737-400s and expand its all Airbus aircraft fleet to 15 by 2014. The carrier now has five Boeing B737-400s and two Airbus of the type.

Jetstar Pacific said the second Airbus A320 had registration number VNA198 and would be put into service on October 20. It will enable the second largest carrier in Vietnam after Vietnam Airlines to operate more than 40 daily domestic flights to HCMC, Hanoi, Danang, Hue, Vinh and Hai Phong.

Le Song Lai, chief executive officer of Jetstar Pacific, said the new Airbus aircraft would help the airline save a lot of operation and maintenance costs as well as increase domestic frequencies ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year, or Tet, early next year.

Jetstar Pacific told the Daily on Sunday that air tickets had almost sold out for certain flights from HCMC to Vinh, Hue and Haiphong from the 26th to 30th of the twelfth lunar month and the 6th to 8th of the first lunar month on the opposite directions.

Jetstar Pacific has plans to operate more domestic flights before and during the Lunar New Year, which falls on the first day of the lunar year, or in February 2011.

Vietnam Airlines is mapping out plans for more flights during the Lunar New Year as fares for the flagship carrier’s flights on certain routes during this special occasion are becoming scarce.

Last Tet, Vietnam Airlines operated nearly 1,000 more domestic flights from HCMC to Hanoi and central Vietnam due to stronger demand for air travel.

Related Articles

• Naval forces boost global co-operation
• Victims of food poisoning leave hospital
• Vietnam joins China-ASEAN summit
• Hanoi T&T win first V-League after scoreless draw
• Future doctors look for clues in crazy race

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.

Related Articles

• UK keen to be key in public-private partnership
• Air Mekong starts maiden commercial flights
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy
• Naval forces boost global co-operation
• Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights

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./.

Related Articles

• Third private carrier flies Vietnam's skies
• UK keen to be key in public-private partnership
• Air Mekong starts maiden commercial flights
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy
• HCMC apartment market beginning to stir: report

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

Related Articles

• Third private carrier flies Vietnam's skies
• UK keen to be key in public-private partnership
• Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights
• Air Mekong starts maiden commercial flights
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy

CAAV approves flight schedule for Air Mekong

HCMC - The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) has given approval to Air Mekong to operate flights on 10 air routes within Vietnam from October 9.

CAAV’s deputy director general Lai Xuan Thanh told the Daily on Monday that Air Mekong got the ticket to fly between HCMC and Hanoi, and from these two biggest cities to other destinations in many different parts of Vietnam.

With the aviation authority’s approval, Air Mekong will have more than 30 daily domestic flights from HCMC and Hanoi to Danang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Dalat as well as from HCMC to Con Dao, Buon Ma Thuot and other destinations, and vice versa.

Air Mekong plans to call a press conference in Hanoi later this week to detail its air routes as well as commercial policy for air tickets before commencing its services in October, a time that domestic demand for air travel starts to pick up.

Air Mekong has reported to CAAV on its first commercial passenger flights on October 9 and was urgently completing an air operator certificate (AOC), which is a must for the carrier if it wants to take off.

The Ministry of Transport awarded Air Mekong a license in October 2008 following the Prime Minister’s approval for the establishment of this third private airline in Vietnam after VietJet Air and Indochina Airlines.

VietJet Air has not publicized its updated plan to take off though it said earlier this year that it would fly in the fourth quarter of 2010. Meanwhile, financial woes have kept Indochina Airlines on the ground since late October 2009, or less than one year after it had launched services, and is now dealing with a series of complaints from ticket agents for not paying off their money deposits.

Air Mekong has an initial chartered capital of VND200 billion (more than US$10.2 million), which is the lowest level required for a local airline to conduct domestic flights.

Related Articles

• Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights
• AIPA General Assembly opens in Hanoi
• PM sets agenda for insolvent shipbuilder
• HCMC urges efforts to save Dong Nai River
• Naval forces boost global co-operation