Fast-growing Vietnamese low-cost carrier Vietjet has purchased 100 additional Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to fuel network expansion plans – taking their MAX order book to 200.
During a signing ceremony today in Hanoi, United States President, Donald Trump and Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary and President, Nguyen Phu Trong joined leaders of both companies to unveil the $12.7 billion order, according to list prices.
The deal includes 20 MAX 8s and 80 of the new, larger MAX 10 variant. The order was previously unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website.
In ordering 80 MAX 10s, Vietjet becomes the largest Asian customer of the aircraft type. The carrier plans to use the added capacity to meet growing demand across Vietnam, as well as to serve popular destinations throughout Asia.
Vietjet president and chief executive officer, Madam Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo said: “The deal for 200 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes today is an important move for us to keep up with our international flight network expansion plan with a higher capacity, thus offering our passengers with more exciting experiences when being able to fly to more new international destinations.
“I believe that our fleet will have breakthroughs thanks to new-generation technologies, which helps improve flight quality and enhance operational reliability, while reducing operating costs in the future.
“Passengers will then have more opportunities to fly with reasonable fares. The contract signing ceremony, which is witnessed by the top leaders of Vietnam and the US on the occasion of the US-North Korea Summit in Hanoi, will mark a milestone in the two companies’ growth path.”
Vietjet placed its first order for 100 737 MAX aircraft in 2016, which set the mark for the largest commercial jet purchase in Vietnam’s aviation sector at the time.
