VietJet will make widebody decision by year-end

Vietnam low-cost carrier VietJet Air will make a decision on whether to obtain widebody aircraft by the end of 2018. The carrier, which operates narrowbody aircraft mainly on domestic routes, is considering three options, says carrier vice president Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh. These are the Boeing 787, Airbus A330neo, and the A350. "We are near a conclusion," says Nguyen. "This year we will decide yes or no. We've taken a long time to study this model, and we're being very careful about the cost efficiencies of widebodies. This year we will make a conclusion." For several years, VietJet executives have flirted with the idea of using widebodies to serve the Vietnamese diaspora in the United States, Europe, and Australia. "Our advantage is that we understand Vietnamese [people], and we know what they expect," she says. "Countries where you have huge Vietnamese communities will be our future markets." Vietnam Airlines is also considering the launch of services to Los Angeles, possibly as soon as 2019. The country has no FAA category rating, precluding Vietnamese airlines from launching US services, but category 1 is expected to be granted in May.<br/>