Vietnam budget airline Vietjet launches Melbourne-Hanoi direct air link

Private carrier Vietjet announced the launch of direct flights between Melbourne and Hanoi at the Vietnam-Australia Business Forum 2024 held Tuesday in Melbourne.

The announcement was welcomed with congratulatory messages from visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Victoria state premier Jacinta Allan and other high-ranking leaders of both countries.

With a flight time of about 10 hours, the route connecting Vietnam’s capital city and Australia’s biggest city will be inaugurated on June 3. The airline will operate two round-trip flights per week.

Flights from Hanoi to Melbourne will depart every Monday and Friday at 5:10 p.m. (local time), while flights from Melbourne to Hanoi will depart on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 7:30 a.m (local time).

The new route is the latest step in Vietjet’s plan to expand its global network. The carrier currently operates 58 flights per week between Ho Chi Minh City and the five major Australian cities of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaid, using modern aircraft like the Airbus A330 and A321.

Data from state-controlled Vietnam Airlines shows that the national flag carrier has conducted over 12,800 flights between the two countries, transporting over six million passengers and 170,000 tons of cargo.

Vietnam Airlines now operates 30 Vietnam-Australia flights weekly, connecting Hanoi and HCMC with Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, deploying Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft.

Vietjet on Monday announced the opening of a direct route from Hanoi to Hiroshima, Japan starting May 12, saying it would boost tourism and trade ties between the two cities and two countries.

The private budget carrier currently operates many flights connecting HCMC and Hanoi with major Japanese cities including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka.