Vietnam Airlines hopes to double fleet by 2015

dpa German Press Agency
Published: Monday October 30, 2006

Hanoi- Vietnam Airlines hopes to double its fleet to 86 aircrafts to meet annual passenger increases of 15 per cent under a plan submitted to the government, the company's director said Monday. "We are seriously short of aircraft at the moment and need to purchase or lease more," said the airline's general director Nguyen Xuan Hien.

According to the plan submitted to the government last week, Vietnam Airlines has signed contracts to purchase 10 more Airbus A321s and four Boeing 787s to be delivered from 2007. It also has plans to lease three Airbus A330s.

Hien would not reveal the total amount of money needed for the expansion plan.

In September, the government authorized Vietnam Airlines to purchase five more ATR72 planes by 2010 and 10 more Boeing 787 "Dreamliners" in the period between 2011 and 2015 to strengthen its 40-strong fleet.

"Currently, we are capable of serving seven million passengers a year, and the figure will be 11 million passengers by 2010," said Hien.

Vietnam Airlines, which flies to more than 20 international destinations, reported total revenues of 519 million dollars in the first six months of 2006.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency