Summary

  • Vietjet’s new A330-900neos will strategically enhance the airline’s fleet, supporting global expansion as part of a sustainable development strategy.
  • Asia’s successful market for Airbus A330 highlights the flexibility and efficiency of the aircraft on diverse routes, from short-haul to long-haul services.
  • The innovative features of the A330neo, combined with advanced technology and fuel-efficient engines, will benefit Vietjet’s operational capacity and reduce costs.

When airlines or lessors order aircraft, the process goes through various stages, which is why you often see the same order discussed time and again. It starts when the customer floats the idea of buying a new aircraft and culminates years later when that aircraft operates its first commercial service, which in the case of Australian airline Jetstar was a gap of around ten years for its new Airbus A321LR fleet.

New-generation boost

Yesterday at the Farnborough Airshow, Vietnam’s largest private carrier, Vietjet, officially signed the contract to purchase 20 new-generation A330-900neos. The deal, valued at $7.4 billion at list prices, was first announced as a Memorandum of Understanding at the Singapore Airshow in February but has now become a firm order.

Vietjet Airbus A330 lands in Sydney

Photo: Vietjet

Vietjet operates a fleet of seven leased Airbus A330-300s, and the new widebodies will progressively replace those on the carrier’s growing long-range intercontinental network and high-capacity regional services, such as between Hanoi and Ho Cho Minh City and from Vietnam to Mumbai and Delhi.

Vietjet Airbus A330 16:9

Photo: Vietjet

The new A330neos will strategically enhance Vietjet’s fleet and boost its operational capacity to support global expansion. Vietjet Chairwoman Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao said the introduction of the advanced, fuel-efficient aircraft into the fleet is a part of Vietjet’s sustainable development strategy and ESG goals as it works towards net-zero emissions by 2050, adding:

“Airbus planes have enabled Vietjet to bring cost-effective flying opportunities to over 200 million passengers, including many first-time flyers, connecting peoples, nations, and continents, promoting economic development and cultural exchange.”

Related

Vietjet Launches Airbus A330s From Hanoi To Melbourne

Primarily driven by Vietjet and Melbourne Airport the market between Vietnam and Melbourne has grown by 60% from pre-pandemic levels.

Asia’s love affair with the A330

Asia has been a very successful market for the Airbus A330, with the widebody used on a diverse range of routes, from high-volume short-haul to long-haul intercontinental services. Pairing the A330 with the A320 Family is a particularly potent combination when opening new routes, with the two interchangeable aircraft used to match fluctuating demand as the route develops.

Related

Vietjet Earns $2.16 Billion Revenue Flying Its Airbus Fleet In 2023

Vietjet has proven there is money to be made in ultra-low-cost flying and has posted strong profits after carrying 25.3 million passengers in 2023.

In the last twelve months, Vietjet has successfully entered the Australian market using the A330 on services to the major destinations of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. However, when it launched in the smaller Perth and Adelaide markets, it deployed the Airbus A321neo to develop the market cost-effectively without sacrificing its low-fare strategy.

VietJet Airbus A321neo

Photo: Airbus

According to ch-aviation, Vietjet and its affiliate Thai Vietjet have a combined all-Airbus fleet of 103 aircraft. Vietjet (VJ) is listed as having 17 A320-200s, 36 A321-200s, 25 A321neos and seven A330-300s. Thai Vietjet (VZ) also operates an all-Airbus fleet comprising 12 A320-200s and six A321-200s but has not yet ventured into widebody operations.

Airbus A330-900 departing shutterstock_2287086765

Photo: SriATR72 | Shutterstock

The first thing passengers will probably notice when the A330neos arrive is the award-winning Airbus Airspace cabin, which has proven successful across the Airbus family of new-generation aircraft. It features a new lighting system, larger overhead bins and access to the latest technology inflight entertainment and connectivity systems.

Powered by the latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330-900 has a range of 7,200 nautical miles (13,000 kilometers), making it a perfect fit for Vietjets’ Asia-Pacific network while reducing fuel consumption, carbon emissions and operating costs.

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