VietJet, Vietnam’s leading low-cost carrier, is set to become the first Vietnamese airline to operate Chinese-manufactured COMAC ARJ21-700 jets on domestic routes. The milestone deployment is scheduled to begin in mid-April 2025.
The move follows a recent company announcement indicating plans to launch the new aircraft on critical routes between the Vietnamese mainland and the island of Con Dao. These routes have become especially important following the suspension of services by Bamboo Airways, which previously held a monopoly on flights to Con Dao Airport (VCS). With Bamboo Airways suspending its only route to Con Dao, the island risked being cut off from air transport, leaving ferries as the sole option for travelers.
According to an internal VietJet document reviewed by Reuters, the airline will operate four round-trip flights between Hanoi (HAN) and Con Dao, and four more between Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) and the island, all starting on April 15, 2025. These scheduled services will mark the official entry of the COMAC ARJ21-700, which is also known under the commercial name C909, into the Vietnamese market.
To support these flights, VietJet is leasing two ARJ21-700s from China’s Chengdu Airlines. The first aircraft, registered as B-652G, is 2.8 years old and features a 90-seat all-economy configuration. The second jet, registered as B-656E, is slightly newer at 1.7 years old and shares the same seating configuration.
According to the Planespotters.com registry, VietJet currently operates a diverse fleet of 113 aircraft. This includes 29 Airbus A320-200s, 42 Airbus A321-200s, 35 Airbus A321neos, and 7 wide-body Airbus A330-300s, serving domestic and international routes.
