Vietnam Airlines. Photo: Shutterstock Vietnam Airlines, the national flag carrier of Vietnam, announced the completion of an order for 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. This is the airline's first order for a narrow-body aircraft from Boeing, as part of a strategic plan to expand regional and domestic operations in light of the increasing demand for flights in Southeast Asia.
The model ordered is a 737-8, which will allow the company to increase frequencies on short- and medium-haul routes. The aircraft can carry up to 200 passengers and has a range of 6,480 kilometers.
The announcement was made at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., attended by senior officials from both countries, including General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Tu Lam, and US government officials. The ceremony was also attended by President & CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Stephanie Pope, and Vietnam Airlines' Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dang Ngoc Hoa.
The company currently operates 17 787 Dreamliners on regional and international routes, primarily between Vietnam and Europe. The combination of the 737 MAX family and the 787s is expected to support the company's network expansion, while improving operational efficiency and reducing fuel consumption by approximately 20%-25% compared with the aircraft they replace.
According to forecasts, passenger traffic in Vietnam is expected to double over the next decade, reaching more than 75 million passengers per year, a figure that underpins the expansion of the company's aircraft fleet.
At the end of last year, Etihad Airways and Vietnam Airlines announced the launch of a new codeshare agreement, designed to deepen the aviation connection between the UAE and Vietnam. The agreement strengthens the recently launched Abu Dhabi-Hanoi route and enables Etihad passengers to continue onward flights to key destinations in Vietnam and across Asia, with a single ticket and baggage transfer to the final destination. At the same time, Abu Dhabi serves as a connecting gateway for Vietnam Airlines passengers to destinations in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.