Photo: Shutterstock Vietnam Airlines launches the first direct flight from Hanoi to Milan, enhancing Vietnam-Italy relations and its European expansion
The national airline of Vietnam has inaugurated its first direct flight between Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and Malpensa Airport in Milan this week.
This is the first direct flight in history between Vietnam and Italy, and the airline's ninth route to Europe, representing another strategic move to bolster its international presence.
Hanoi. Photo: ShutterstockThe official ceremony marking the route's opening took place at Malpensa Airport, attended by Vietnam's Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân, Vietnam's Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hong, and other dignitaries, including Raffaele Cattaneo, Lombardy's government representative for international affairs, Monica Piccirillo, Malpensa Airport manager, and Armando Brunini, CEO of SEA Milan Airports.
A New Gateway to South-Western Europe
The new route operates with Boeing 787 wide-body aircraft, offering three weekly round-trip flights, each with an average flight time of approximately 12 hours in either direction.
Milan, Italy's second-largest economic center, now serves as a key gateway to southwestern Europe and is part of Vietnam Airlines' expanding destination network in the continent.
"The choice of Milan as Vietnam Airlines' new entry point into Italy aligns perfectly with our strategy to develop quality connections, especially on long-haul routes," said Armando Brunini, CEO of Milan Airport Authority. He noted that this addition significantly enhances Malpensa Airport's global network, which currently connects to 195 destinations in 83 countries via 90 airlines.
Milan. Photo: ShutterstockThe launch of the Hanoi to Milan route is not only a commercial move but also a significant diplomatic message. The presence of high-level officials from both countries at the opening ceremony underscores the importance of strengthening bilateral ties in tourism, economy, transportation, and at a strategic level.
For Vietnam Airlines, this is a significant milestone. The company includes Italy among its key European countries along with France and Germany, establishing itself as a major player in East-West connections. It is now the first Vietnamese airline to operate a direct route to an Italian destination.
SEA Milan Airports reports that the Asian market is currently the largest non-European international aviation market for the airport, with more than 3 million passengers annually and a 24% growth driven partly by a 30% increase in direct routes from Asia.
In Italy, there is recognition that with strengthening trade ties between Italy and Vietnam, expanding exports, and growing tourist interest from both sides, the new route is designed to meet existing demand and even generate new business and tourism flow.