Summary

  • Airline capacity in Southeast Asia is still significantly below pre-pandemic levels, with Vietnam being the only country with a capacity within single digits of 2019.
  • Vietjet, Vietnam Airlines, and Bamboo Airways are driving growth in Vietnam by resuming and launching new routes to various destinations in Asia and Australia, providing affordable travel options.
  • Vietjet is expanding its routes further by launching low-fare international services from Vietnam to South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, opening up new travel options for passengers.


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Airline capacity in Southeast Asia is well behind pre-pandemic levels, with 19% fewer seats available this week compared to the same week in 2019. There is only one country within single digits of 2019 capacity, Vietnam, which this week has just 3% fewer seats than it offered in pre-COVID 2019.


Vietnam is driving growth in Southeast Asia

To put that into perspective, the Philippines is at -11%, Indonesia at -17%, Malaysia at -20% and Thailand at 27% less capacity than in 2019. The driving force behind Vietnam is its airlines, where Vietjet, Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways are resuming and launching new routes around Asia and southwards to Australia.

Vietjet VJ085 Arrival Sydney 11

Photo: Sydney Airport

For example, those three Vietnamese airlines are flying nonstop between Melbourne and Vietnam and in the space of six months, Vietjet has built a network of services to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne from Ho Chi Minh City. It has also given Australians a new low-cost way to access most of Asia and beyond and brought real price competition when airfares were becoming unaffordable for many.

In August, Vietjet announced it would be launching nonstop Airbus A330 flights to Perth and on Saturday, it revealed an extra leg to Adelaide was being added to that service. The flights will start on November 21 with five return services weekly, joining the three-times weekly flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne and Sydney and the twice-weekly Brisbane service.

Vietjet VJ085 Arrival Sydney

Photo: Sydney Airport

In December, the Melbourne and Sydney route is going to daily and the Brisbane to three times weekly. Vietjet is the only Vietnamese airline to operate to all five of Australia’s largest destinations, and with more than 40 flights a week it has made a very significant commitment to building connections between the two countries.

More routes in Asia

In another announcement released today, Vietjet said it was launching new low-fare international services from Vietnam to South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The first to go live will be the Phu Quoc to Busan (South Korea) service on December 10, followed by the Hanoi to Hong Kong route on December 22 and the Phu Quoc to Taipei (Taiwan) service on January 17, 2024.

VietJet Airbus A321

Photo: Huy Thoai | Shutterstock

Phu Quoc is a Vietnamese island off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand with gleaming white beaches that have earned it the nickname ‘Pearl Island.’ Over half of the island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and Phu Quoc is known for its dedication to protecting its environment and cultural legacy.

The route to Busan will operate daily, with flights departing Phu Quoc Airport (PQC) at 01:15 and arriving at Busan Gimhae International (PUS) at 08:05 after a 4:50-hour flight on an Airbus A321. The return flight departs at 08:55 and lands in Phu Quoc at 12:40.

The Hong Kong service will depart daily from Hanoi Noi Bai International (HAN) at 08:55 using an Airbus A320 for the 1:55-hour flight. It arrives at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) at 11:50 and departs at 12:50 to arrive back in Hanoi at 13:50.

The third new route is from Phu Quoc to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), departing Phu Quoc on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It is scheduled to be operated with an Airbus A321 departing at 08:25 and arriving in Taipei at 13:00 after a 3:35 hour flight. The return flight departs Taipei at 14:00 and gets back in Phu Quoc at 16:50.

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