Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho signedto grant an aviation business licence for Bamboo Airways, owned by propertydeveloper FLC Group, on November 12.

Bamboo Airways of the Viet Bamboo Airlines Co., based in Nhon Ly, QuyNhon, the capital of central Binh Dinh province, will be permitted to transportpassengers, mail and freight both domestically and internationally.

Bamboo Airways is Vietnam’s fifth airline, after Vietnam Airlines,budget operators Jetstar Pacific and Vietjet Air, and Vietnam Air Service (VASCO).

All preparations have been completed to allow the carrier’s maidenflight to take off, said Dang Tat Thang, Director of Viet Bamboo Airlines. Thefirm aims to operate its first flight in the final quarter of 2018, he added.

Viet Bamboo Airlines Co. was established in 2017 with charter capitalof 700 billion VND (31.4 million USD).

FLC has positioned Bamboo Airways as a “hybrid” airline, blending low-costtraits with those of traditional or full-service carriers to meet the demandsof every market segment. The group has also invested in infrastructure foraviation operations, such as upgrading the Phu Cat Airport in Quy Nhon city androads connecting the airport to the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone.

The first Airbus A319, A320 aircraft arebeing prepared by Bamboo Airways in Turkey and the Philippines for use inVietnam.

The airline is expected to use 20 planesthis year and 20 – 30 in 2019. The new aircraft from its 8.8 billion USD dealwith Airbus and Boeing are set to be delivered in 2020.

The company plans to run about 100 routesconnecting, with the first domestic flights Hanoi – Quy Nhon, Hanoi – Dong Hoi,HCM City – Quy Nhon, Hanoi – HCM City, HCM City – Van Don.

In the international market, Bamboo Airways hopes to cover Japan, theRepublic of Korea, China, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and thePhilippines. It also aims to open flights to the US and Europe in the longterm.

It has also signed a memorandum of understandingwith the Civil Authority of Vietnam on using landing services and securitycheck-ups at Tan Son Nhat (HCM City), Noi Bai (Hanoi), Phu Cat (Quy Nhon), DongHoi (Quang Binh), Tho Xuan (Thanh Hoa) and Cat Bi (Hai Phong) airports.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the aviationmarket’s annual growth rate is predicted to be 16 percent from now to 2020, and8 percent for 2020-2030. Local airlines are expected to serve 64 millionpassengers by 2020 and 131 million passengers by 2030.–VNA