Aircraft fleet size must increase to meet demand

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has proposed that the Ministry of Transport allow air carriers to increase the size of their fleets to meet domestic demand during the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday and to utilize recovery opportunities in international markets.

Figures show that each aircraft carries an average of 250,000 passengers each year, and with the number of domestic passengers projected to reach 45.5 million this year, the domestic market alone needs 182 aircraft.

In international markets, Vietnamese airlines are expected to transport around 13.6 million passengers, equivalent to 57 aircraft.

In total, Vietnamese airlines will need around 230 aircraft in the opening months of 2023, which will rise to 250 in the closing months of the year.

Domestic carriers - Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Pacific Airlines, Bamboo Airways, and Viettravel Airlines - are now operating 225 aircraft, of which 35 are undergoing maintenance or preservation efforts.