Monday, July 02, 2012
VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company (Vietnamese: Công ty Cổ phần Hàng không VietJet), trading as VietJet Air, is a low-cost airline in Vietnam. It was the first privately-owned airline to be established in Vietnam, being granted its initial approval to operate by the Vietnamese Minister of Finance in November 2007. As of its launch in December 2011, it became the second private airline to offer domestic service in Vietnam, as well as the fifth airline overall to offer civil domestic flights.
The carrier's launch was beset by long delays attributed to various causes, such as a global economic slowdown and regulatory issues. Although budget carrier AirAsia announced in February 2010 that it planned to purchase a 30% stake in the airline through a joint venture agreement, the carrier later rescinded its plans, citing "a failure to obtain Vietnamese regulatory approvals". Despite the setbacks, VietJet Air's first flight was operated on December 25, 2011, flying from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. As of February 27, 2012, the carrier has operated 360 flights and carried over 40,000 passengers.
he airline has its head office on the fourth floor of Flower Mansion in Tay Ho, Hanoi, with a branch in Ho Chi Minh City on the ninth floor of the Hai Au Building, Tan Binh District. It was the first privately-owned airline to be established in Vietnam, and as of its launch in December 2011, it became the second private airline (after Air Mekong) to offer domestic service in Vietnam, as well as the fifth airline overall to offer civil domestic flights, after Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific Airlines, Air Mekong and the Vietnam Air Service Company (VASCO). In its initial plan, the Hanoi-based airline stated its intention to offer flights to Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, gradually expanding its network to include other Asian countries, such as Singapore, China, Thailand, Korea, and Japan. The airline appointed Brian Presbury as its Chief Executive Officer in May 2008.
