Freight Vietnam Airlines considering own cargo unit

Companies like Samsung, LG Electronics and Nestle have chosen Vietnam as a major manufacturing hub in Asia. The high number of manufacturing companies and a fast growing middle class in the country’s population affect the strategy of Vietnam’s flag carrier Vietnam Airlines.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Vietnam Airlines CEO Duong Tri Thanh has now confirmed, that the carrier is evaluating a dedicated cargo unit to cover the growing freight demand in the country.

However, Thanh did not announce a time line or a fleet structure of the new airline.

The new airline could become the first Vietnamese cargo airline. Several international cargo carriers, like Cargolux, Cathay Pacific, FedEx and MASkargo connect Vietnam’s major airports Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with international cargo hubs around the world.

The current Vietnam Airlines Cargo unit offers transportation of cargo in the lower deck of the passenger aircraft fleet. Vietnam Airlines currently operates a fleet of 85 aircraft, including 57 Airbus A321, six Airbus A330-200, eleven Airbus A350-900 and eleven Boeing 787-9.

Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. According to the IATA, the country (around 95 million inhabitants) will become one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the next decades. To meet the demands on the domestic and international market, Vietnam Airlines has ordered 18 additional Airbus A321Neo, which are scheduled for delivery in the next months.