NICHOLAS IONIDES / SHANGHAI
Vietnam Airlines is considering an attractive offer from Airbus for two A340-300s which could be in service with the carrier by the end of this year. It is meanwhile working to finalise a previously announced tentative deal for five Airbus A321s and will add a sixth Boeing 767 on operating lease.
Industry sources say the carrier, which already plans to acquire six leased and purchased Boeing 777-200ERs for delivery from early next year, is considering the A340 proposal, which will not affect its 777 induction plans.
One airline source confirms that the offer being made is "attractive". If the carrier accepts the offer it could acquire its first A340 in November, possibly on lease.
Vietnam Airlines is, however, first planning to firm up an unrelated deal with Airbus for five A321s. It already leases 10 A320s and two A321s and has been working to finalise its first Airbus purchase agreement for some time. Financing arrangements are being sorted out, the sources say. They add that the carrier has also finalised an agreement with Ansett Worldwide to lease a sixth 767-300ER.
Vietnam Airlines has been recording strong growth in passenger traffic for several years and last year embarked on aggressive expansion after winning backing from the government for the first five-year phase of a 10-year expansion plan.
Under the plan its fleet should double from the level of early last year to at least 46 aircraft.
Source: Flight International
