Industry Vietjet converts order for 42 A320Neo to larger A321Neo

Vietnam’s first low cost carrier Vietjet has taken delivery of the first Airbus A321Neo. The airline is the first carrier in South East Asia operating the largest A320Neo family aircraft.

The new delivered jet is configured with a single class cabin and 230 seats and is powered by by Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF engines. Vietjet has taken delivery of 17 Airbus aircraft in 2017. The jet will begin operations on domestic and international routes in the next weeks.

During the delivery ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietjet announced the decision to upgrade its existing order for 42 Airbus A320Neo into larger A321 models. Accordingly, the airline now has a total of 73 A321Neo and 11 A321Ceo on order for future delivery. Currently, Vietjet operates a fleet of 25 Airbus A320 and 26 Airbus A321. In addition to the new Airbus order, Vietjet has ordered 100 Boeing 737 MAX 200 in 2016. The first aircraft will be delivered in 2019.

“The A320 family aircraft has greatly contributed to Vietjet’s impressive operation performances with the airline’s technical reliability rate standing at 99.6% in 2017. The aircraft have also helped us maintain some of the lowest operating costs in the airline world,” said Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Vietjet President and CEO. “The upgraded A321Neo deal once again emphazises Vietjet's ceaseless efforts to modernize our fleet. We believe that the technical reliability rate and other operation and safety indexes will continue to go up in order to bring maximum comfort, joy and safety to our valued passengers.”

Vietjet is the first low cost carrier in Vietnam. The carrier commenced operations in 2011 and operates hubs in several Vietnamese cities. In February 2017, Vietjet became a fully listed entity on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange.