Vietnam's troubled Bamboo Airways suspends 10 international routes

Bamboo Airways is suspending service on 10 international routes under plans announced Friday amid nonstop turbulence at the Vietnamese budget carrier. The company started by suspending flights between Hanoi and London on Oct. 18. Other affected routes include connections between Hanoi and Narita Airport, near Tokyo; between Hanoi and Incheon, South Korea; and between Ho Chi Minh City and Frankfurt, Germany. Full refunds or flight changes are being offered for tickets already sold. The announcement comes as Bamboo Airways, Vietnam's third-largest airline, undergoes restructuring. Founder Trinh Van Quyet was arrested in 2022 over accusations of manipulating the stock market and concealing information. The pandemic also depressed travel demand. Bamboo Airways reported a loss of around 17t dong (roughly $700m at current rates) for 2022, nearly eight times the red ink of 2021. Many foreign pilots have left the company over nonpayment of wages, according to news reports. Former Japan Airlines executive Hideki Oshima joined Bamboo Airways as chairman of the board this June, only to step down less than three weeks later. Oshima resigned as a director in September.<br/>