(Ho Chi Minh City, January 5, 2018) – Vietjet will convert its existing order for 42 A320neo to the superior and larger A321neo, bringing to a total of 73 A321neo and 11 A321ceo on order for future delivery. The agreement was signed recently by Vietjet President and CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao and Fabrice Brégier, Airbus Chief Operating Officer and President Commercial Aircraft.
The first A321neo “new engine option”, registered as VN-646, has also arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport from Hamburg recently, marking a major milestone for Vietjet as it has become the first airline in Southeast Asia to operate the Airbus aircraft powered byPratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF engines.
Fitted out with 230 comfy leather-covered seats and high-quality carpeting, the first five rows of Vietjet’s spacious new A321neo have been especially designed to accommodate passengers flying Skyboss, the airline’s premium service. The aircraft’s interior also features a unique color-changing LED light system and striking décor to create a comfortable and refreshing ambience throughout the whole cabin.
The brand new A321neo incorporates the latest in engine design, advanced aerodynamicsand cabin innovations. According to the aircraft manufacturer, its GTF engines offer a significant reduction in fuel consumption — at least 16 percent from day one and 20 percent by 2020 — as well 75% reduction in noise and 50% in emissions.
The A321neo is also the 17th aircraft Vietjet has received in 2017 alone, increasing its total fleet to 55. The new aircraft has begun operating on domestic and international routes to and from Vietnam as of January 2018.
“We are proud when a dynamic airline like Vietjet endorses our products,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus Chief Operating Officer and President Commercial Aircraft. “The A321neo combines higher capacity with the lowest operating costs in its class, offering unbeatable efficiency. This aircraft will be a real asset in Vietjet’s expansion plans in such a fast-growing market. We look forward to seeing the A321neo flying in Vietjet colours.”
“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.”
The A320 Family is the world’s best-selling single-aisle product line and comprises four models (A318, A319, A320, A321) seating from 100 to 240 seats. With more than 5,300 orders received from 95 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo family has captured some 60 percent share of the market.
About Vietjet:
Vietjet is the first airline in Vietnam to operate as a new-age airline with low-cost and diversified services to meet customers’ demands. It provides not only transport services but also uses the latest e-commerce technologies to offer various products and services for consumers. Vietjet is a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate. The airline was also named as one of the Top 500 Brands in Asia 2016 by global marketing research company Nielsen, the “Best Asian Low Cost Carrier” at the TTG Travel Awards 2015, which compiles votes from travelers, travel agencies and tour operators in throughout Asia and Asia’s Best Employer Brand by the Employer Branding Institute and World HRD Congress for many years. The airline was also rated as one of the top three fastest growing airline brands on Facebook in the world by Socialbakers.
Currently, the airline boasts a fleet of more than 50 aircraft, including A320s and A321s, and operates 350 flights each day. It has already carried more than 50 million passengers and opened 78 routes in Vietnam and across the region to international destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Cambodia…
Looking ahead, the airline plans to expand its network across the Asia Pacific region. To prepare for this plan, Vietjet has signed agreements with the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers to purchase more brand-new and modern aircraft.
