Vietnamese conglomerate FLC Group says it has chosen Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) and the A320neo Family for its nascent unit Bamboo Airways' fleeting requirements.
A company statement issued on March 6 said it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for twenty-four A321neo with the Europeans with deliveries to run through to 2025. Thereafter, it will consider ordering a further twenty-four Long Range variants - A321neo(LR)s - to bolster its fleet in the longrun. Although no firm delivery dates have yet been set, Airbus has pledged to prioritize Bamboo Airways orders for handover between 2022 and 2025.
"After studying and scrutinizing the options, FLC Group and Bamboo Airways have decided to order 24 aircraft from Airbus to meet early Bamboo Airways demand through until 2025. After commissioning and testing in terms of performance, we will also consider further expansion options," Trinh Van Quyet, chairman of FLC, said.
Bamboo Airways is still awaiting a business licence from the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport. To mitigate Hanoi's concerns about infrastructural saturation, it has proposed operating to and from Vietnam's secondary airfields largely avoiding Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi Noi Bai International.
Bamboo Airways aims to offer direct international flights to Vietnamese leisure destinations where parent firm FLC has a strong presence. These include Qui Nhon, Quang Ninh, Haiphong, Thanh Hoa, Phu Quoc, and Nha Trang Cam Ranh. In addition, it will also offer domestic flights between city-pairs that include Thanh Hoa - Qui Nhon, Thanh Hoa - Phu Quoc, Thanh Hoa - Nha Trang, Hai Phong - Qui Nhon.
