National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, a member of the SkyTeam alliance, is set to launch flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Manila from 17 June, making it the first Vietnamese airline to open nonstop service to the capital of Philippines.
The Hanoi – Manila route will operate three times a week, with flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh City – Manila route will fly four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Both routes will be served by Vietnam Airlines’ Airbus A321 fleet, offering business class and economy class cabins.
The business cabin is comprised of eight to 12 recliner seats in a 2-2 configuration, while economy is in a 3-3 setup.
The Vietnamese flag carrier says that the new routes mark a milestone in its international network development strategy as they connect Manila, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City – three leading economic hubs of Southeast Asia.
The opening of nonstop routes to Manila will also help promote economic, cultural and tourism exchanges between Vietnam and the Philippines as well as in the Southeast Asia region, the airline said.
Vietnam Airlines offers the UK’s only nonstop flights to Vietnam, operating from Heathrow Terminal 4, with onward connections via Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to multiple destinations throughout Australasia, including India, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and the Philippines.
Currently, the airline serves more than 100 routes, including 29 international destinations, with its new-technology fleet including A321neo, A350-900 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.