CAAV supports Bamboo Airways’ regular direct flights to US

Hanoi (VNA) – The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has shown its support for Bamboo Airways to conduct regular direct flights to the US in a recent report to the Ministry of Transport.

The CAAV said Bamboo Airways has been granted a business license for international and domestic air transport and an air operator certificate (AOC) for the B787-9 aircraft in the North American region. Given this, it has sufficient conditions to conduct regular and charter international flights carrying passengers and cargo between Vietnam and the US.

According to an air transport agreement signed between the two countries on December 4, 2003, each of the signatories has the right to designate airlines to operate international air transport in line with this deal. Such designations will be announced to the other side via the diplomatic channel, and the types of air transport those airlines will conduct must also be clarified.

Therefore, Bamboo Airways is eligible to be assigned as the designated airline of Vietnam to operate regular flights between Vietnam and the US, the CAAV noted.

On June 1 this year, the carrier submitted the dossier seeking permission for regular flights to the US Department of Transport. On September 23 and 24, as Vietnam’s designated airline to conduct charter flights between the two countries, it operated a round-trip flight of Hanoi - San Francisco - Hanoi as licensed by aviation authorities of Vietnam and the US.

The CAAV said Bamboo Airways have made preparations in conformity with the US’s legal procedures, adding that the continued designation of this carrier to operate regular flights from/to the US after it was designated to conduct charter flights is in accordance with the Vietnam - US air transport agreement, serving as the basis for it to prepare for regular flights to the US in the time ahead.

With this designation, Bamboo Airways can organise flights carrying passengers and cargo from Vietnam to the US, and transporting cargo and possibly passengers who are experts, foreign investors, and Vietnamese citizens from the US to Vietnam once getting approval from the Prime Minister, relevant ministries and sectors.

The CAAV also proposed the Transport Ministry ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send diplomatic notes to US agencies in charge of foreign affairs to assign Bamboo Airways as the designated airline of Vietnam to operate regular flights between the two countries.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines was already designated to operate regular flights between the two nations, and it is still preparing its flight plan./.