The new flight will be an eleven hour sector and will be operated using a Boeing 767-300ER. The Vietnamese market will initially be served on a seasonal schedule with flights planned between June and October 2016, but the carrier said there is the potential to expand the season in subsequent years.
Vietnam Airlines will become the first Asian airline to fly the A350 XWB and the second operator in the world. Vietnam Airlines will acquire 14 A350 XWBs, including ten on order from Airbus and four under lease agreements. The carrier will operate its A350 XWB fleet on premium long haul routes, beginning with services between Hanoi and Paris.
The carrier currently operates two flights per week to the UK capital from Hanoi and two from Ho Chi Minh City. These will move across to Heathrow from March 30, 2015 and a third weekly rotation on the Hanoi route introduced from July 4, 2015. These will initially be flown by a Boeing 777-200ER but will be switched to Vietnam Airlines’ new Boeing 787 Dreamliner from July 1, 2015.
The Luxembourg based cargo airline is expanding its services to Vietnam, with the addition of a second flight into Ho Chi Minh City, and a fourth frequency to Hanoi.
The new route, flown using an Airbus A330-300, will be operate within the carrier’s joint business on transatlantic traffic with fellow oneworld alliance partners British Airways, Iberia, American Airlines and American’s merger partner US Airways. Chicago is a hub for US major American Airlines and will allow travellers codeshare connections to destinations throughout the United States.
The airline has experience of the market having previously served the Bandar Seri Begawan – Ho Chi Minh City route for a six year period. It introduced flights on the city pair in March 2006 and operated up to a daily service at its peak. However, after reducing frequency to just a weekly operation in late 2011, the route was finally closed in February 2012.
