First Vietravel Airlines international flight takes off

Vietravel Airlines, Vietnam’s first carrier operated by a travel agency, launched its first international route on Friday after nearly two years of operation.

Flight VU137 on the Hanoi-Bangkok route took off from Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport on Friday afternoon, officially opening the first international regular commercial route of Vietravel Airlines, connecting Vietnam and Thailand.

Vietravel Airlines operates the route with a frequency of one round-trip flight per day via a fleet of modern narrow-body A321 aircraft.

Vietravel Airlines CEO Vu Duc Bien said, "Conquering the international aviation market is the goal set by Vietravel Airlines' board of directors right in the early days of its establishment."

Vietravel Airlines is still working with the aviation authorities of Vietnam and Thailand to prepare for the expansion of routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok in January 2023 and aims to connect flights between Vietnam and Northeast Asia.

Vietravel Airlines is the fifth commercial airline in Vietnam.

Vietravel Airlines launched its first commercial flight in January 2021, linking HCMC and Hanoi. In addition to domestic services, it also flies on several international routes, connecting with South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore.

At present, the passenger carrier has a fleet of three A321 aircraft, which will be doubled next year, he said, adding that the fleet expansion would also serve its cargo transport service.

Bien said the carrier's VUAir Cargo would initially operate a fleet of two to four B737-800F aircraft, with some expansion expected later. The joint venture will focus its services on Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and China.