HANOI: National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced that it will no longer consider adding Airbus A380, the world’s largest commercial aircraft, to its fleet as part of an expansion plan for the next five years.
The airline has scaled down the plan, which was first approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in 2008. As a result, its fleet will have 122 aircraft, not 150 as initially planned, by 2020. In the initial plan, the carrier mentioned the purchase of Airbus A380s but now it has changed its mind.
It said there are some reasons, including the pressure of seeking funds for the purchases. Between 2015 and 2019, Vietnam Airlines will take delivery of eight Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 10 Airbus A350 XWBs.
In addition, it said the planned Long Thanh International Airport, which will become the main airport that can accommodate large aircraft like Airbus A380, can only be operational after 2020.
In 2009, Vietnam Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus Group for the purchase of four superjumbo passenger jets, but terminated the memorandum four years later.
