Vietnamese startup carrier Bamboo Airways has been given an aviation license by the Vietnam government, paving the way for it to begin operating flights.
The new airline has stated it plans to launch maiden flights within 45 days of receiving the license, and intends to eventually operate 100 domestic and international routes, reports Reuters.
Inaugural flights are planned to fly between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and the airline has previously stated it will look to expand its network to encompass Northeast Asian markets such as China, South Korea and Japan.
Launching services within the next month and a half is certainly ambitious. Back in June, the carrier said it hoped to begin flying in 2019, though it gave little indication that inaugural flights would be so early in the new year.
Bamboo Airways also has not limited itself to just regional routes. While its parent company, the FLC Group, ordered a batch of 24 narrowbody Airbus A321neo aircraft back in March, it followed this up in June with an order for 20 widebody Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Deliveries of the longer-haul Boeing aircraft are expected to begin in April 2020, and the airline’s chairman, Trinh Van Quyet, has stated previously that the airline’s ultimate goal is to “connect Vietnam to key markets within Asia, Europe and North America”.
Bamboo Airways describes itself as a “hybrid” airline, offering low costs with full service. Both business and economy class cabins will be available.
