Vietjet AviationJoint Stock Company (Vietnamese:Công ty Cổ phần hàng không Vietjet), operating asVietJet Air orVietjet, is a Vietnameselow-cost airline[3] based inHanoi. It was the first privately owned airline to be established in Vietnam, being granted its initial approval to operate by theVietnamese Ministry of Finance in November 2007.[4] As of its launch in December 2011, it became the second private airline to offer domestic service in Vietnam, as well as the fifth airline overall to offer civil domestic flights. VietJet Air is owned by Sovico Holdings, HDBank, other organisational investors, and individual stakeholders.
Originally planned to be anAirAsia'sfranchise in Vietnam, the carrier's launch was beset by long delays attributed to various causes, such as theGreat Recession and regulatory issues as well as other disputes that resulted in the withdrawal of AirAsia, making VietJet an independent business. Despite the setbacks, VietJet Air's first flight was operated on 25 December 2011, flying from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi.[5][6] The carrier carried its 10 millionth passenger in December 2014,[7] and the 25 millionth passenger in December 2015.[8]
Founded in 2007, the airline's founding team included Robert Hughes, an American who led the company through its initial year.[9] The airline has its head office in the Vạn Phúc Diplomatic Corps inBa Đình district, Hanoi[10] It was the first privately owned airline to be established in Vietnam,[4] and as of its launch in December 2011, it became the second private airline (afterAir Mekong) to offer domestic service in Vietnam, as well as the fifth airline overall not countingIndochina Airlines, which ceased operations in November 2009 to offer civil domestic flights, afterVietnam Airlines,Pacific Airlines, Air Mekong and theVietnam Air Service Company (VASCO).[3] In its initial plan, theHanoi-based airline stated its intention to offer flights toHo Chi Minh City andDa Nang, gradually expanding its network to include other Asian destinations, such as Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and cities insouthern China.[11] The airline's president and CEO isNguyen Thi Phuong Thao from December 2011.[12]
Initially, VietJet had shown the intention to commence flights in late 2008 or early 2009.[11] Throughout the next few years, the expected launch date was repeatedly pushed back, first to late 2009, then mid-2010.[13] Airline officials gave different reasons for the delays, including increased fuel prices and other financial problems, as well as unresolved branding conflicts with theCivil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV).[14]
Although Malaysian budget carrierAirAsia announced in February 2010 that it planned to purchase a 30% stake in the airline through ajoint venture agreement, the carrier rescinded its plans in October 2011, citing "a failure to obtain Vietnamese regulatory approvals".[15][16]
One of VietJet's first aircraft, as seen inNoi Bai in 2012, with the company's old version oflivery andslogan. As of 2025, this particular airframe is still operating for VietJet, despite having received a new paint job.
By February 2011, VietJet was said to be "completing final stages" prior to launch before its operation license expired in June.[17] The airline's maiden flight was eventually launched on 25 December 2011, flying from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi.[6]
The Vietnam aviation authority fined VietJet Air US$960 in 2012 for organizing five women of candidates in a local beauty contest to perform a Hawaiian themed-dance without first gaining permission to celebrate its maiden flight to the tourist hub of Nha Trang.[18]
On 9 February 2013, the airline launched its first international flight between Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok, becoming the first Vietnamese private airline to enter the international market.
In February 2014, at the opening of that year'sSingapore Airshow, the airline firmed up orders withAirbus for 60A320 aircraft at a list price of $6.4 billion.[19] Previously, the airline had signed a Memorandum of Understanding withAirbus for 92 planes in the A320 family.[20]
In June 2015, at theParis Air Show, VietJet ordered six additional Airbus A321 single-aisle jets worth $682 million at list prices from Airbus to meet demand on some of its busiest routes;[21] VietJet purchased a further 30 later that year at theDubai Airshow, which included 21A321neos along with 9 A321ceos.[22] In May 2016 during astate visit of US PresidentBarack Obama, an order for 200Boeing 737 MAX aeroplanes was signed, with deliveries to start in 2019.[23] In September 2016, CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao announced an order for 20 A321 single-aisle aircraft from Airbus. The signing took place during a state visit of French PresidentFrancois Hollande.[24] During the 2018Farnborough Airshow,Thai VietJet, VietJet's Thai subsidiary, ordered 100 Boeing 737 MAXs (80 MAX 10s and 20 MAX 8s) and 50A321neos.[25]
VietJet completed itsinitial public offering (IPO) on theHo Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE) on 28 February 2017 at an initial price of₫90,000 (US$ 4.02) per share. The share price immediately rose by 20%, the maximum allowed for newly listed companies. The airline raised $167 million from the listing, making it the biggest IPO on the Vietnamese stock market to date[26] and accounting for 1.5% of HOSE's capitalization at the time.[27]
On 15 January 2025, VietJet announced the addition of four new routes toChina. Commencing 30 March 2025, three new routes will be added to its service namelyHo Chi Minh-Beijing Daxing,Hanoi-Guangzhou and Ho Chi Minh-Guangzhou. Subsequently, another new route between Hanoi and Beijing Daxing will begin on 1 April 2025.[28] A new inaugural route to Auckland will begin in September 2025.[29]
Vietjet took over ground handling services atTan Son Nhat Airport from former partner Saigon Ground Services (SAGS) on April 20, 2025. The transition coincided with the peak travel season during theReunification Day andLabour Day holiday in Vietnam, as well as the change of domestic terminals at Tan Son Nhat Airport, leading to mass delays of hundreds of flights, causing significant meltdown across the airline's network. This stirred up serious controversies over the airline, with thousands of passengers requesting an explanation and compensation for the inconvenience and loss they had experienced.[30]
TheCivil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has instructed Vietjet to arrange full staff and equipment deployment and coordinate with other ground service providers to ensure appropriate operation.
To attract sponsorships andadvertisement contracts, VietJet is known by its strategy to place promoted and sponsored content on itsaircraft livery.[39]
VietJet's "debut" livery in 2011.
VietJet's standardized livery template having been used since 2012, with space for promoted content.
On 26 February 2019, VietJet Air signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing, an American aircraft manufacturer, to purchase 100Boeing 737 MAX 200 aircraft.[59][60] The signing ceremony took place at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam, in the presence of Vietnamese PresidentNguyen Phu Trong and U.S. PresidentDonald Trump.[61][62][63]
In December 2019, VietJet Air had one of its firstBoeing 737 MAX 200 aircraft rolled out from the Boeing factory.[64][65][66] However, the plane was not taken up afterwards and was delivered toAkasa Air.[citation needed]
On 23 July 2024, at theFarnborough International Airshow, VietJet Air and Airbus officially finalized a deal worth $7.4 billion for 20Airbus A330-900 aircraft, following a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purchase back in February 2024 at theSingapore Airshow.[67] It is the airline's first-ever widebody order. They will replace the carrier's current wide-body fleet of 7 leasedAirbus A330-300 aircraft, as well as providing for network expansion.[68]
Between April and October 2025, Vietjet operated twoComac C909 leased fromChengdu Airlines, marking the first time Chinese jets were used for domestic flights in Vietnam.[69][70] The lease was terminated and the planes were handed back on October 18, 2025, with a source citing high operational costs.[71]
On 17 June 2025, at theParis Airshow, VietJet and Airbus announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 100 Airbus A321neo jets with an additional 50 options available for purchase at a later date.[72]
Since commencing operations, VietJet Air has only suffered non-fatal incidents:
19 June 2014: VietJet Air Flight 8861 fromHanoi toDa Lat mistakenly landed atCam Ranh International Airport. The reason was revealed to be pilot error. There were two flights, one from Hanoi to Nha Trang and the other from Hanoi to Da Lat, but one of the aircraft experienced technical difficulties and the aircraft was switched to another. Everyone was informed except for the captain of the flight. Everyone involved was suspended for further investigation.
16 October 2014: VietJet Air Flight 8856 departing fromHo Chi Minh City toNha Trang landed on the wrong runway. The ATC repeatedly told the pilot to land on runway 02L, the pilot also repeated the messages correctly but later landed on runway 20R. The captain and the first officer were suspended.[73]
2 April 2015: a disabled passenger flying back toHanoi fromDa Nang was denied service by two VietJet employees, citing being "unable to move by herself" and "did not notify the ground crew at the airport in time". The carrier later had to publicly apologize to the passenger and fined each employee VND5 million.
30 September 2015: VietJet Air Flight 496, an Airbus A320-200 (registered VN-A650) suffered a bird strike incident while on approach toNoi Bai International Airport. The aircraft fromBuon Ma Thuot Airport landed safely on runway 07R. The aircraft's nose radome sustained substantial damage.[74]
7 September 2018: VietJet Air Flight 1848 fromHanoi toTaichung flew through a hailstorm, causing damage to the cockpit window. The flight was forced to return to Hanoi.[76]
29 November 2018: VietJet Air Flight 356, a newly deliveredAirbus A321neo (registered VN-A653), suffered a hard landing atBuon Ma Thuot Airport after arriving fromTan Son Nhat International Airport. The aircraft lost both tires on the nose gear. Six passengers were injured. The aircraft was later grounded, pending investigation and repairs. The pilots were later fired and suspended by the Civil Aviation Authority. The aircraft was eventually repaired.[77]
12 July 2019: VietJet Air Flight 615 fromNha Trang toHo Chi Minh City entered a wrong taxiway upon landing, forcing an approaching aircraft to go-around. The incident is under investigation by the Aviation Authority.[78]
14 June 2020: VietJet Air Flight 322 fromPhu Quoc to Ho Chi Minh City skidded off the runway during landing atTan Son Nhat International Airport, causing delays to other flights. Passengers on this flight were later evacuated. No one was injured. The airline said heavy rain due toTropical Storm Nuri was the cause of this incident.[79]
^"VietJetAir doubles A330 order to 40 aircraft".ch-aviation.The ch-aviation Commercial Aviation Aircraft Data module shows that VietJet has 246 additional jets on order, namely seventy-six A321-200NX, twenty A321-200NY(XLR)s,fifty B737-8s, and 100 B737-8-200s.
^Nguyen, Quy (12 September 2018)."Máy bay Vietjet bị mưa đá làm nứt kính buồng lái" [VietJet aircraft was hit by hail and cracked the cockpit window].Kinh Te & do thi (in Vietnamese). Retrieved4 August 2019.
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