Vietjet Air Firms Airbus A330neo Order

Vietjet Chair Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao holds a model of the A330neo with Airbus Commercial Aircraft CEO Christian Scherer who is flanked by sales chief Benoit de Saint-Exupery.

Credit: Vietjet Air

FARNBOROUGH—Vietjet Air has firmed an MOU first announced at the Singapore Airshow, officially signing a deal for 20 Airbus A330neo aircraft.

Valued at US$7.4 billion, the A330-900s are intended to replace Vietjet's current fleet of A330-300s, supporting a strategic plan to expand the Vietnamese low-cost airline’s intercontinental flight network. 

The LCC's A330s have been used on flights to Australian east coast cities and on trunk routes between Vietnam and India. Vietjet hopes to add service to European markets such as the UK and France, as well as to the U.S., noted CEO Dinh Viet Phuong in Singapore. The A330-900's greater range of up to 7,200 nm can help the airline realize those ambitions.

“The new A330neo aircraft strategically enhance Vietjet's fleet development, boosting the airline’s operational capacity to support its global expansion,” says Vietjet chairwoman Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao at the Farnborough Airshow signing. “The introduction of advanced, fuel-efficient A330neo aircraft into Vietjet's fleet is part of our sustainable development strategy and ESG goals, aiming for Net-Zero emissions by 2050.”

VietJet currently operates an in-service fleet of 78 aircraft, according to Aviation Week Network’s Fleet Discovery Database, mainly comprising A320ceo family (53), as well as A321neos (18), and A330-300s (7). The A330-900s bring its orderbook to 278, Fleet Discovery shows, also including Boeing 737-8s (75) and 737-8200s (76), and A321neos (107).

Christine Boynton

Christine Boynton is a Senior Editor covering air transport in the Americas for Aviation Week Network.

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