Thua Thien Hue Weekly has conducted an interview with Mr. Vu Duc Bien, General Director of Vietravel Airlines.

Mr. Vu Duc Bien, General Director of Vietravel Airlines

According to Mr. Vu Duc Bien, Hue ancient capital is a land with a long history, culture, and is a unique destination. That is the reason why Vietravel wants to invest more services to make Hue more attractive. In return, as Hue attracts visitors, Vietravel also gains its opportunities for further development.

We have heard that the first commercial flight of Vietravel Airlines will be operated in the near future, can you you give us more specific information?

Our first aircraft has arrived in Vietnam to prepare for licensing procedures of the Department of Aviation. After we receive the AOC (Air Operator Certificate) and receive flight slots (the time that the aviation authority issues the flight to take off and land), the second aircraft will arrive in Vietnam at the end of December and the third plane would be here in January 2021.

After bringing the aircrafts to the country, it is necessary to apply for an air operator certificate, so that the aviation authorities can check and test them before putting them into official commercial operation. In 2 days, 21 and 22 December, Vietravel Airlines operated the required flights. After being licensed and launching the branding, the airline would launch its first commercial flight in early 2021.

Vietravel Airlines' plan is to have 80 flights per week on average, increasing flights in the peak month, January 2021 and during the Lunar New Year to serve people’s huge demand for travel. Vietravel Airlines aims to serve 1 million passengers in the first year.

Can you talk about the reason why Vietravel Airlines chose to locate its headquarters at Phu Bai International Airport?

Hue is the ancient capital and a developing tourist destination, especially airport infrastructure is continuing to be invested and developed. Vietravel Airlines mainly serves tourists, so we can see the potential for growth in the future.

Choosing Phu Bai International Airport as a "base" could help welcome visitor flows in the region of Dong Hoi - Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An through Phu Bai International Airport, helping to reduce the passenger load for Danang International Airport today. In addition, choosing Phu Bai International Airport as a "base" airport will not place pressure on Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai international airports, which are considered quite crowded at present.

There are many airlines that are operating effectively in Vietnam, so competition is unavoidable, especially with new airlines like Vietravel Airlines. According to you, can Vietravel Airlines' market share be equal to that of other major airlines?

In fact, opening an airline during this COVID-19 is very difficult. Many people questioned why Vietravel launched an airline in a time when many domestic and international airlines have been in trouble. But COVID-19 pandemic will pass, we hope that by the third quarter of 2021, there will be a vaccine and the world can take control of this pandemic.

In addition, our project is not in 6 months or 1 year, but 50 years. What is very convenient for an airline company is that we can open up to exploit the market. Currently, Vietravel has millions of tourists as clients each year, which is the foundation and premise for Vietravel Airlines to develop.

In terms of competition, I think that competition lies in all service industries. Vietnam already has 4 airlines, and Vietravel Airlines is the fifth. Taking a look at other industries, such as tourism with tens of thousands of companies, many businesses still operated effectively. Vietnam has up to 100 million people with only 5 airlines; so,  the competition would not be intense and Vietravel Airlines is very confident in the ability to develop when having a brand name and particular passengers.

Vietravel Airlines is born and join the airlines of Vietnam, forming an association of big airlines, strong enough to compete with other airlines worldwide; it is to cooperate and develop the aviation industry to expand the market share for our country. This is what matters, not the competition.

The latecomers always have to try harder than the ones in operation, by bringing in new and more modern aircraft fleets, providing more proper service for in-flight and ground-based customers. And the beneficiaries will be the customers. We will do our best to build trust, comfort and satisfaction for Vietravel Airlines passengers.

The government and people of Thua Thien Hue fully expect Vietravel Airlines to support socio-economic development in general and tourism in particular in the coming time. Do you consider that as a pressure?

Vietravel Airlines was founded to help Vietravel complete its tourism service ecosystem in Thua Thien Hue including: restaurants, hotels, resorts and airlines. This helps Vietravel to bring more convenience and have more proactivity to create the most competitive and excellent quality product packages for customers.

Vietravel affirmed that our goal is to develop a destination for Hue. The company will actively promote advertising and seeking for tourists, help Hue build new, high-quality tourism products and services to meet the tourists’ increasing demands.

Along with the initiative from our company, as Hue creates more suitable products, an active destination, diversified services, especially products aimed at serving customers that Vietravel Airlines also targets at, at that time, there would be more opportunities to grow for the airline. It is only when those two factors above are operated that Hue tourism would develop.

Thank you sir!

By Duc Quang