Vietnam Airlines expands again

A three times weekly service between Ho Chi Minh City and Chengdu has joined the network of Vietnam Airlines as the fast-growing carrier continues to enhance its presence in China.

The 2,213km (1,195nmi) route will be operated by the SkyTeam member’s A321 fleet. Flights depart Vietnam on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, arriving in Chengdu the following morning. No other carrier operates the route.

The start-up is the airline’s third Chinese route from Ho Chi Minh City after Guangzhou and Shanghai Pudong but 25th in all as the carrier offers 13 Chinese routes from Nha Trang, five from Da Nang and four from Hanoi.

Vietnam Airlines accounts for 39% of weekly seat capacity in the Vietnam-China market, ahead of China Southern Airlines (25%) and China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Jetstar Pacific Airlines, each with 6%.

The carrier is also doing well financially, reporting last week a 2016 pre-tax profit of 2.5bn dong (about £92m), reflecting Vietnam's airline market growing at one of the fastest rates in Asia Pacific thanks to a burgeoning middle class.

The airline said the record results had been helped by its strong growth in domestic markets, which had helped it to combat global challenges including terrorism in Europe.

www.vietnamairlines.com

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