Vietnam Airlines switches London flights to Heathrow
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Vietnam Airlines has announced it will switch its London flights from Gatwick to Heathrow in March.
Flights from Heathrow to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will operate five times a week from 31 March, with tickets on sale from today.
This will be increased to a daily service from July when the airline starts deploying its new fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on the route.
“The launch of Vietnam Airlines’ non-stop services from London saw UK arrivals into Vietnam rise by over 40% year on year, and both the leisure and corporate markets have grown steadily ever since. Moving our operations to Heathrow will enable us to offer the increased frequency and capacity needed to build on and cater to this growing demand,” said the airline’s general manager UK & Ireland Le Thanh Dzung.
Vietnam Airlines CEO Dr Pham Ngoc Minh said: “Our vision, and that of the government of Vietnam, is for Vietnam Airlines to become the major carrier in Southeast Asia – and this move represents a tremendous step forwards in achieving that goal.”
Heathrow said talks with Vietnam Airlines had been on-going for seven years due to its limited slot availability.
It said 30 airlines are waiting for slots at the airport but have instead opted for other London airports or gone to those in Europe such as Paris and Amsterdam.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “We are delighted that Vietnam Airlines has chosen to operate its new Dreamliner 787 fleet from Heathrow, securing regular direct flights from the UK to a vital emerging market. This demonstrates once again that only a strong hub airport like Heathrow, with a mix of premium direct and transfer passengers, can help Britain win the race for growth.”
Vietnam Airlines will start renewing its long-haul fleet this year with the arrival of its new B787 Dreamliners and Airbus A350 aircraft.
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