VietNamNet Bridge – Local airlines are complaining that they cannot charter aircraft, virtually destroying their business plans. Pacific Airlines has delayed launching its new domestic routes, while Vietnam Airlines fears it cannot arrange enough planes to open the Vietnam-US direct route.
Serious lack of aircraft to occur from 2009
Pham Ngoc Minh, General Director of the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, said the airline has ordered 47 airplanes from now through 2015. However, the earliest delivery is set for 2009, and the rest no sooner than 2012.
“We are seriously lacking planes, and this will hit hardest in 2009,” said Mr. Minh. However, he said that the airline is only lacking modern aircraft, and though it faces a shortage, will not use outdated planes.
Vietnam Airlines now needs big long-distance aircraft, like the B777-200ER or the A321. Mr. Minh said that the plane shortage is the biggest challenge to Vietnam Airlines’ plan to open a new air route to the US.
However, the problem lies in the fact that no 777-200ERs will be churned out from now to 2009. Manufacturers no longer produce 777-200ERs, they have next-generation models like the B787 and the A350 as alternatives.
“Boeing helped us by providing the names of nearly 20 aircraft leasing companies, but all of them said they are unable to help us,” Mr Minh said.
The aviation boom across the globe, especially in China, India and the Middle East, has resulted in record high demand for aircraft.
In fact, Vietnam Airlines can still charter planes, but only under strict conditions. It has to charter aircraft for at least 12 years, but does not want to because it will receive new ones in 2014 or 2015, when deliveries come in for the placed orders.
Increasing cancellations and delays
Pacific Airlines is also facing the same situation. The airline’s General Director Luong Hoai Nam said that Pacific Airlines will receive one more aircraft in January 2008, which will allow the airline to provide 11 HCM City-Hanoi flights instead of the current 9, and two HCM City-Hue flights instead of 1 during the Tet season.
Mr Nam said that Pacific Airlines wants more aircraft to provide flights from Hue City to Hanoi. However, he said that it is very difficult to charter aircraft during the current global aviation boom.
Daniela Marsilli, Deputy General Director of Pacific Airlines, said her company is lucky to have the support of Qantas and its 188 strong fleet (Qantas is now the strategic shareholder of Pacific Airlines after it purchased a 30% stake).
She said that Pacific Airlines luckily signed contracts to charter 30 aircraft from now to 2014. She guessed that Vietjet, Vietnam’s newest and second budget airline, just recently licensed, will also be faced with the increasing shortage.
Mr Minh from Vietnam Airlines said that there would be more flights cancelled or delayed during the Tet season due to the shortage.
Mr Minh said that currently, only 84% of Vietnam Airlines’ flights can take off at the scheduled time.