Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam Airlines took delivery of its fifth Boeing 787-10 on July 31, making it the 30th wide-body aircraft in the national flag carrier's fleet.
The Boeing 787-10 is currently the largest passenger aircraft used in Vietnam, with a length of over 68 metres. With 367 seats available, including 24 in business class, the aircraft will help the airline better meet passengers’ increasing demand during peak seasons.
Vietnam Airlines now has nearly 100 aircraft, including five Boeing 787-10, 11 Boeing 787-9, and 14 Airbus A350.
Its wide-body aircraft mainly operate on international routes, connecting Vietnam to Northeast Asia, Europe, Australia, the United States, as well as on the domestic route between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
As of July, the total number of aircraft of Vietnamese airlines with an air operator certificate (AOC) stood at 195, marking a drop of 36 compared to the same period last year, according to statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).
Of the total, the number of commercial aircraft utilised by the airlines was 167, an annual decline of 51.
Last year witnessed the ratio of operating aircraft among those with AOC reach 94.4%. However, this rate has dropped to 85.6% this year due to the recall of engines.
As of July, Vietnam Airlines had 96 aircraft, a drop of six compared to last year’s corresponding period. Of those, the carrier is utilising 82./.
