Bamboo Airways has bolstered its fleet in time for the peak summer season by acquiring an Airbus A320 aircraft through a wet-lease agreement with Royal Air Philippines, according to a company Facebook post and a report by Voice of Vietnam.
The aircraft, which landed at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on June 25, will be deployed on high-demand routes to Nha Trang, Da Nang, and Quy Nhon, the airline said.
This marks Bamboo Airways’ third wet-leased aircraft this year, following similar arrangements with FlyOne and Xfly earlier in 2024.
While specific details of the agreement remain unknown to the public, a wet-lease agreement typically involves the provision of the lessor, in this case, Royal Air, of the aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI)
The wet-leased aircraft from Royal Air is an 18-year-old Airbus A320-214, locally registered as RP-C9799. The 180-seat jet was delivered to the Filipino carrier in December 2019.
In a similar report from the Vietnamese media outlet, the move to wet-lease more aircraft comes amidst a shortage of domestic aircraft in Vietnam.
Luong Hoai Nam, general director of Bamboo Airways, emphasized at a recent workshop that a rise in Vietnamese airlines’ own aircraft is crucial for lowering domestic airfares.
Currently, Vietnamese airlines operate only 160 aircraft, falling short of pre-pandemic levels by 60 to 70.
Bamboo Airways plans to acquire one more aircraft before year-end to launch new domestic routes, including Ho Chi Minh City-Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City-Thanh Hoa, and Ho Chi Minh City-Phu Quoc.
The airline currently operates a network connecting Vietnam’s major cities with popular tourist destinations and offers international charter flights to regional tourist hubs.
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