Vietjet begins Melbourne-Ho Chi Minh City on Easter Sunday

Budget airline Vietjet launched its new three times weekly service from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City on Easter Sunday. The A330-300, VN-A811, departed the Victorian capital at 2:29am on 9 April as flight VJ82 and landed in Vietnam at 7:37am local time. Victor Pody was in Melbourne to shoot the moment the aircraft arrived the day prior. Vietjet joins Bamboo Airways, Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar in flying the route and plans to upgrade it to a daily service by December 2024. Melbourne Airport’s chief of aviation, Jim Parashos, said Vietnam has consistently been one of its top 10 international destinations. “Low-cost fares will make the trip even more appealing to leisure and business travellers, and of course, people wanting to connect with family and friends at both ends of the route,” said Parashos. “Victoria is home to a large Vietnamese community, with Melbourne’s vibrant and fast-growing migrant population making the city a key inbound market with Melbourne Airport the natural gateway to Australia. There are also around 9,500 Vietnamese students enrolled at Victorian institutions making Vietnam one of the state’s largest international student populations.”<br/>