VietJet embarks on Taiwanese growth plan

VietJet Air is eying Taiwan as its new growth market, with the launch of a new service between Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and Taipei, and plans to add several more routes to the country.

The maiden flight took off on 12 December 2014, marking VietJet’s seventh international route, and saw passengers treated to an in-flight magic show and a traditional folk dance.

The HCMC–Taipei route will initially operate five times per week. Flights will depart the Vietnamese city’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport at 1430 and arrive at Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport at 1855. The return flight will then take off from Taipei at 2000 and arrive back into HCMC at 2225.

“This new flight route aims to bring the two countries closer. With a large Taiwanese community in Vietnam and a growing Vietnamese population in Taiwan, we hope to connect families and friends, while developing trade and tourism growth between the two countries at the same time,” said Desmond Lin, VietJet’s business development director.

“We would like to encourage more Taiwanese enterprises, businessmen and tourists from Taiwan to Vietnam. Through flying with Vietjet, they will be able to discover and experience our safe and modern aircraft with easy check-in and amazing in-flight services,” he added.

And VietJet’s Taiwanese expansion will continue in the coming months, with plans to add more flights from HCMC and Hanoi to other destinations, including Kaohsiung and Taichung.

The Vietnamese low-cost carrier started operations in late 2011 and has since developed a network of 26 domestic and international routes, including services to Bangkok, Singapore, Siem Reap and Seoul.