Vietnam Air aims for 12 million passengers this year

Vietnam Airlines is looking to welcome around 12 million passengers aboard its domestic and international flights this year after the carrier has become a full member of the global airline alliance Skyteam.

Duong Tri Thanh, deputy general director of Vietnam Airlines Corp., released the figure at a function organized in HCMC last Thursday for other Skyteam member airlines to welcome membership of the national flag air carrier.

Thanh said 2010 was an important year for Vietnam Airlines when the airline was expanding fast in terms of network coverage and transport capacity.

“We currently have 68 aircraft and our number of passengers will surpass 11 million and probably reach 12 million this year,” he said.

The number for this year would mark a remarkable increase compared to the just over 9.34 million that Vietnam Airlines transported in 2009. Last year, Vietnam Airlines Corp. posted revenue of over VND24.6 trillion, including VND150 billion in pre-tax profits.

Thanh said that the carrier’s full membership of Skyteam on June 10 marked its commitment to providing seamless quality services for passengers on the flights to nearly 900 destinations worldwide that the alliance’s member airlines fly to.

Thierry Beragnes, country manager of Air France in Vietnam, said Vietnam Airlines joining Skyteam marked a major step for the alliance, increasing its focus on Asia continent as a whole. “By welcoming its first member in the Southeast Asia, the alliance significantly strengthens its network in Vietnam and in the region.”

La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said Vietnam Airlines’ expanding flight network helped bring more travelers to Vietnam and effectively market tourist attractions in the country in general and HCMC in particular.

Khanh said over the past years Vietnam Airlines had efficiently cooperated with HCMC on marketing programs in major and potential markets including Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Finland, Russia and ASEAN. – Saigon Times

Tags: Vietnam airlines, Vietnam aviation