The Prime Minister has just agreed to the proposal of Vietnam Airlines on an additional purchase of 10 passenger planes, the Airbus A321-200, during the period of 2011-2014.
Accordingly, the Vietnamese flag carrier should directly negotiate the details of the contract with the producer.
The Prime Minister also permitted Vietnam Airlines to join SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, and to prepare the necessary groundwork for the accession in 2010.
Still, he requested the carrier to follow the current principles and regulations during the membership.
The Prime Minister also agreed in principle regarding the proposal requiring that organizations and agencies funded by the state budget should use the service of Vietnam Airlines while traveling by air at home and overseas.
EddieDude From Mexico, joined Nov 2003, 7180 posts, RR: 45 Reply 2, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 7111 times:
Thanks a lot for the link VN777. It is very interesting. Just one year before SkyTeam adds a partner in the poorly served Southeast Asian region. I have heard from a good friend of mine who travels to Southeast Asia quite often that VN onboard service is fantastic, so I am quite happy.
SQuared From Canada, joined May 2005, 384 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 6939 times:
Another 10 A321s? VN must really love the A321, as they keep on ordering them every few years.
Also glad to see something of a time frame for entry into Sky. I'm a bit disappointed JL couldn't persuade them to join OW, especially given the codeshares that VN has with OW carriers. But nevertheless, it's nice to see VN making some progress.
VN777 From Vietnam, joined Nov 2007, 53 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 6806 times:
Quoting SQuared (Reply 3): Another 10 A321s? VN must really love the A321, as they keep on ordering them every few years.
14 in service, 21 on order, 10 extra.
They are used from HAN and SGN to international destinations like: NGO, BKK, TPE, PEK, HKG, KUL, SIN and domestic to DAD, HAN, NHA, SGN.
Configured: 16C(2x2) and 168Y. Total 184. VN's A321 are one of the nicest shorthaul planes I have ever been on due to the moodlighting and generous seat pitch in Y.
Quoting SQuared (Reply 3): I'm a bit disappointed JL couldn't persuade them to join OW, especially given the codeshares that VN has with OW carriers.
Partners of VN:
OW: CX, JL, AA.
ST: KE, CZ and possible member CI.
Plus I believe that QF is one of their codeshare partners out of Australia.
I must confess I am suprised VN send the 777 down to Melbourne I think it is three times per week I would have though that their A330s may have been better option, perhaps offering them the ability to upgrade their frequencies?
Terminalc From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 153 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 6157 times:
I suppose ST is no surprise considering the prior alliances with AF & KE, but VN is not up the the standards of any ST airline. Their inflight service can be tolerable, but their ground services are 3rd rate as are their 777 C seating poducts.
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 21245 posts, RR: 19 Reply 7, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 5900 times:
This seems to be a step toward Skyteam really having a corner on the US-Vietnam market. It'll be interesting to see what happens with the DL NRT-SGN service and VN service to the States too. I can see a few scenarios
1) DL cedes the market to VN
2) VN lobbies the government of Vietnam to liberalize, permitting DL to carry local NRT-SGN pax
3) Status quo
I have no idea which of those three will happen, but I'm curious to find out.
I can't decide whether I miss the tulip or the bowling shoe more
I'm not sure why you would consider that as a possibility. DL doesn't cede markets to its partners - if anything it strengthens its position by offering complementary services.
United1 From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 5338 posts, RR: 8 Reply 10, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 5118 times:
Quoting WorldTraveler (Reply 9): DL doesn't cede markets to its partners - if anything it strengthens its position by offering complementary services.
JFK-CDG wasn't ceded to AF?
Now I realize JFK-CDG is part of the joint venture but if DL runs the numbers and finds out that VN running the flight is more profitable then DL flying it on its own metal you better believe its going to be ceded to VN....
Anonms From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 561 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 4957 times:
Quoting United1 (Reply 10): Now I realize JFK-CDG is part of the joint venture but if DL runs the numbers and finds out that VN running the flight is more profitable then DL flying it on its own metal you better believe its going to be ceded to VN....
I think DL sees merit in operating to SGN with their own metal instead of the codeshare that they have with CI (which VN codeshares on as well, actually). Time will tell.
OA412 From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 4981 posts, RR: 25 Reply 12, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4757 times:
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 21245 posts, RR: 19 Reply 13, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4731 times:
Quoting OA412 (Reply 12): Not really. As you later point out, JFK-CDG is part of the joint venture so it doesn't really matter who is operating the flight.
Perhaps not. But, nevertheless, it demonstrates that DL does cede markets under some circumstances. I'm not aware of any market that doesn't warrant the level of service it has where they are flying with a non-immunized partner. Maybe there are examples, but I can't think of them.
I can't decide whether I miss the tulip or the bowling shoe more
I have explained in other posts that it may make sense to reduce service if you have a joint venture because you share the revenues anyway.
With the congestion at JFK, DL decided the best use of its facilities at JFK is to operate flights that it needs to operate and allow its JV partners to operate their own flights if they are able.
Besides, DL added SLC-CDG and PIT-CDG is right around the corner followed by RDU in the near future. And JFK-LHR is operated by DL under the JV.
DL has not ceded anything to anyone and it won't with Vietnam which is a very natural Skyteam market and one where DL can work w/ VN, AF, and KE to provide a level of service to that country that no other carrier can match.
EMB170 From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 635 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 4013 times:
But isn't part of the problem with the JV (especially in NYC) that making connections is a royal pain sometimes? If a traveler didn't know better and flew, say, IND-JFK-CDG on DL/AF, wouldn't they have to recheck bags/change terminals/re-clear security upon arrival at JFK from IND...as DL is in T2/3 but AF is in T1?
Can passenger jets fly as fast as my feet do? Let's find out...
Bobnwa From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 5983 posts, RR: 9 Reply 18, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 3972 times:
Quoting United1 (Reply 10): Now I realize JFK-CDG is part of the joint venture but if DL runs the numbers and finds out that VN running the flight is more profitable then DL flying it on its own metal you better believe its going to be ceded to VN....
That would only make sense if it was a joint venture with VN. Having VN in ST is quite a bit different than AF and DL to CDG with their joint venture.
United1 From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 5338 posts, RR: 8 Reply 19, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 3966 times:
Quoting Bobnwa (Reply 19): That would only make sense if it was a joint venture with VN. Having VN in ST is quite a bit different than AF and DL to CDG with their joint venture.
Oh agreed if is different then actually having a JV in place however as I said it all will come down to the numbers...
Vietsky From Vietnam, joined Nov 2008, 93 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 3762 times:
Wow! Congratulation to VNA. All local medias have officially announce today in Vietnam
Quoting VN777 (Reply 4): 14 in service, 21 on order, 10 extra.
They are used from HAN and SGN to international destinations like: NGO, BKK, TPE, PEK, HKG, KUL, SIN and domestic to DAD, HAN, NHA, SGN.
Configured: 16C(2x2) and 168Y. Total 184. VN's A321 are one of the nicest shorthaul planes I have ever been on due to the moodlighting and generous seat pitch in Y.
I totally agree. For short haul in the SEA region. VNA 321 product is far better than others such as Malaysia Airlines 737 and Garuda 737.
Quoting Terminalc (Reply 6): suppose ST is no surprise considering the prior alliances with AF & KE, but VN is not up the the standards of any ST airline. Their inflight service can be tolerable, but their ground services are 3rd rate as are their 777 C seating poducts.
Yeah. The ground service of VNA is not good compare to its inflight service even though I think it is much better the previous year due to the opening of new Tan Son Nhat international airport.
For C product/service (especially in B777 and A333) for long haul, I think it is not bad at all (may be my personal view)
AirGabon From Switzerland, joined Dec 2003, 852 posts, RR: 3 Reply 22, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3605 times:
And don't forget the current technical cooperation between VN and AF.
In the 90s when the first A320 were delivered to VN, there was an important number of AF managers, technicians and pilots working and flying for VN.
B742 From UK - England, joined Mar 2005, 3760 posts, RR: 21 Reply 24, posted (4 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 3411 times:
Good to see that VN will be joining SkyTeam; and that SGN will become a SkyTeam hub. Perfect timing with the recent new terminal.
A bit of information of their three main hubs with links to major SkyTeam cities:
Ho Chi Minh - Tan Son Nhat
AIRFRANCE - Bangkok and Paris-CDG
China Airlines - Taipei
China Southern - Guangzhou
Delta (NWA) - Tokyo-NRT (Connecting traffic only)
Korean Air - Seoul-ICN
Vietnam AIrlines - Beijing, Busan, Guangzhou, Kaohsiung, Moscow-Domodedovo, Paris-CDG, Seoul-ICN, Taipei and Tokyo-NRT
Hanoi - Noi Bai
Aeroflot - Moscow-SVO
AIRFRANCE - Bangkok and Paris-CDG
China Airlines - Taipei
China Southern - Beijing and Guangzhou
Korean Air - Seoul-ICN and Busan
Vietnam Airlines - Beijing, Busan, Guangzhou, Moscow-DME, Paris-CDG, Seoul-ICN and Taipei
Da Nang
Korean Air - Seoul-ICN
I wonder if we will see VN shift Moscow flights from DME to SVO to co-inside with Aeroflot?!
Is a real shame not to see MH join SkyTeam; hopefuly it's the case of when not If.
***
VN is also close to receiving another A330-200; ex HB-IQP of Swiss. It will become VN-A373 and is now in full VN colours.
Rob!
25 VN777: The AMS-Vietnam market is not so big. Around 40.000 Vietnamese living in the Netherlands and around 1000 Dutch living in Vietnam. It would be smarter
26 EddieDude: Interesting. What is the reason for PRG other than it being a SkyTeam hub and the resulting OK-connecting opportunities? On a different matter, weren
27 Trex8: I know VN and CI codeshare and I see on their website they have a A333 configured like a CI A333 and different to the ILFC leased plane. Is this just
28 SQuared: There's a somewhat sizeable Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic, so a flight to PRG would offer O&D connections, and to a lesser extent, OK co
29 SQ_EK_freak: I don't know about that, I disagree quite strongly - my flights with them had pretty surly crew and bare minimum service on rather tatty A320s. The t
30 EddieDude: Thanks a lot for the info! I certainly had no idea about that. Oh, all right. I guess the conclusion is that their service is not consistent, with to
31 Mindscape: Please, keep in mind Vietnam opened its borders less than 20 years ago and was admitted to the WTO 2 years ago. The country is rebuilding itself and
32 SQ_EK_freak: Oh no no I wasn't comparing them to neighboring carriers, that as you said would be unfair. I was just giving my opinions on the 8 or 9 flights I too
33 VN777: Yes, but this have been delayed now for 3 years and is now planned for October 2010 if I remember correctly. Routing will be SGN-KIX-LAX VN has 2 hor
34 Cubsrule: I've often seen a lot of Vietnamese folks on AF's CDG-WAW flights. PRG is a far better connecting point to other countries in eastern Europe than any
35 EddieDude: Any indication if VN will effectively launch LHR?
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Though I doubt they would drop FRA.
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