VietNamNet Bridge – An aircraft leasing company, the first and only 100% Vietnamese-owned company of this kind, is taking shape. Its four founding shareholders are the four giants, BIDV (banker), Vietnam Airlines (air carrier), PetroVietnam (oil and gas) and VNPT (telecommunications).
Tran Bac Ha, Director General of the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), said that the Government had agreed in principle to the project on setting up an aircraft leasing company. The detailed project has been completed and submitted to the Prime Minister for final approval.
It is very likely that the Government will instruct the joint stock company to purchase four medium-distance Boeing 787s. It is expected that the first aircraft in the deal would arrive in 2015.
The market for aircraft leasing proves to have a lot of potential in Vietnam. While operational airlines have to serve more clients they are still facing big financial difficulties which hinder them from buying more aircrafts.
Mr Ha said that one of the clients that would charter aircrafts would be Vietnam Airlines, the national flag air carrier.
Thoi bao kinh te Vietnam has quoted Reuters as saying that the sum of money that BIDV will pay to implement the project may reach $800mil.
In related news, Vietnam Airlines has announced it will apply four new special airfares, $35, $29, $25 and $19 for Q, E, P, A classes, respectively, not including surcharges and taxes.
Passengers flying from Hanoi or HCM City to Bangkok and vice versa from August 15 will have to pay $19 per trip (not including surcharges and taxes).
The programme will begin on July 20 and be applied for flights between August 15 and October 31, 2007.
The number of seats open for sale in this programme will be very big, reaching 20,000 seats, or 35% of total seats.
Though enjoying low airfares passengers will still enjoy all the services and facilities as applied for normal airfares. Together with the currently run Free & Easy programme, Vietnam Airlines will create best conditions for passengers to fly to Thailand at the lowest possible costs.
The Vietnam-Thailand air transport market has been retaining high growth rates of 7-10% over the last three years. Vietnam Airlines carried 85,000 passengers on its flights in the first six months of the year.
Passengers who want to book tickets soon and get more information about the flights may contact Vietnam Airlines booking agents at 04.8320320, 08.8320320, and 0511.811111.
Prior to that, the Prime Minister released a decision, allowing the Ministry of Finance to guarantee for the deals of purchasing two Airbus A321s, expected to be delivered in July and November 2007.
In the latest announcement, Vietnam Airlines said it had put off the launch of direct flights to the US until next year since it was still unprepared.
(Source: VietNamNet, TBKTVN) | 
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