Who says the global financial meltdown has cut short the growing air travel demand and launch of new flights in the list? At least, Vietnam is not buying such words! Aiming to tap rising demand for air travel in the fast growing South East Asian nations, Vietnam’s aviation industry has introduced its first privately owned airline, setting aside the dark meltdown saga.This Indo-china airline, owned by a group of Vietnamese businessman is operating four daily flights between the Southern commercial center of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. This is the third airline, offering domestic flights in Vietnam, joining National carrier Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific, a partnership between a state owned carrier and the ‘Qantas’ of Australia.
The company chaired by Ha Hung Dung, a well known Vietnamese pop music composer and businessman is known to offer two flights daily between Ho Chi Minh City and Central Coastal city of Danang. As confirmed by company spokeswoman, Nguyen Thi Thanh Quyen ‘the launch of such airlines not only aim to meet growing air travel demand in Vietnam but will also offer plentiful choices for its customers.
According to Quyen, ‘Indochina Airlines has registered capital of $12 million and is all prepared to lease two 174 seat Boeing 737-800s. She also convinced that in the next two to three years the company will be hoping to add flights to the resort city of Nha Trang and the ancient capital of Hue as well as countries in the region.
According to Vietnam’s civil aviation administration, ‘with the launch of new flights, passenger air travel to and from Vietnam has grown between 13 and 17 percent annually in recent years’.