VN Airlines to open direct flights to U.S. in 2018
VGP - The national flag carrier Viet Nam Airlines will launch the first direct route between Viet Nam and the United States in 2018, with the destination being either San Francisco or Los Angeles.
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According to the Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam, Vietnamese airlines must meet CAT1 requirements set by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which are specifically for non-stop flights to the U.S. Under the requirements, the air carriers from the assessed state may initiate or continue service to the United States in a normal manner and take part in reciprocal code-share arrangements with U.S. carriers.
The plan is part of the national scheme on developing direct flights between Viet Nam and key markets that include the U.S., China, Russia, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, Australia, France, the UK and India.
The government scheme will also seek to open direct flights to other potential markets such as the United Arab Emirates and South Africa in order to boost trade and tourism.
By 2020 Vietnamese airlines will open new routes from Vietnam’s Da Nang, Hai Phong,
At the same time, more flights and wide-body aircraft will be put into use on flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Kunming and Chengdu.
In 2016, Vietnamese aviation authorities and Boeing signed an agreement in which the U.S. airplane manufacturer pledged, through technical and training assistance, to help Vietnamese aviation officials reach CAT1 standards.
Based on CAT1 requirements, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration will decide which foreign airlines are allowed to operate direct flights to the U.S.
By Vien Nhu
