Vietnam's Bamboo Airways launch date postponed due to licensing issues

Bamboo Airways will yet again delay its first commercial flight until next year as the new airline has not obtained all necessary licenses from local authorities. Bamboo Airlines' maiden flight will be launched in mid-January, its CE Dang Tat Thang said Thursday. Airline chairman Trinh Van Quyet said last month that it aimed to launch the first domestic flight Dec 29, after failing to launch services in October as previously planned. A company source said this week that the airline is still waiting for the issuance of an AOC by the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam. Bamboo Airways, Vietnam's fifth airline, signed a provisional deal to buy 20 Boeing 787-9 wide-body jets worth US$5.6b at list prices in July, as well as a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for up to 24 A320neo narrow-bodies in March. <br/>