Vietjet signs billion-dollar deals for 100 Airbus aircraft, 92 Rolls-Royce engines
The new orders come amid strengthening diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the UK
[HO CHI MINH CITY] Vietjet, Vietnam’s largest private airline, has announced another major expansion of its fleet, putting in orders for 100 A321neo aircraft from Airbus and 92 Trent 7000 engines from Rolls-Royce.
These deals coincide with the elevation of Vietnam-UK relations to Hanoi’s highest diplomatic level, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), marking a new phase of cooperation between the two nations.
The latest commitments are also part of Vietjet’s ongoing fleet modernisation and expansion strategy, following a series of large-scale narrow-body aircraft orders with both Airbus and its US rival Boeing in recent years.
While the value of the Airbus contract has not been officially disclosed, a Reuters report, citing an internal Vietjet document, indicated the total price at approximately US$25 billion. This follows a memorandum of understanding signed in June, in which the airline said plane deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2030.
The A321neo, designed to be more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly, can operate with up to 50 per cent sustainable aviation fuel. There are plans to increase this to 100 per cent by the end of the decade. The airliner also promises fuel savings of more than 20 per cent and a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with earlier models.
In August, Vietjet said that its fleet, with a total of 576 modern aircraft on order, will increasingly incorporate sustainable aviation fuel as part of its efforts to support the green transition in Vietnam and globally.
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In parallel, Vietjet’s new agreement with Rolls-Royce – valued at US$3.8 billion – covers both the engine order and comprehensive maintenance services, positioning the Vietnamese airline among the British manufacturer’s largest customers.
The Trent 7000 engines will power the airline’s upcoming 40 Airbus A330neo wide-body aircraft, the orders for which were placed in 2024 and earlier this year. The enhanced capacity will allow Vietjet to operate non-stop services to Europe, further expanding its international reach.
Diversification
Vietjet’s partnership with Airbus has long been a key element of its growth strategy, as the European manufacturer remains the airline’s primary supplier of jets. However, geopolitical factors, including tariff pressures, have driven Vietnam and its airlines to diversify aircraft orders, particularly with Boeing.
Vietjet also placed an order for 200 737 Max aircraft from the US aerospace giant, a deal now valued at US$32 billion. The order was reaffirmed in 2023 when US-Vietnam relations were elevated to a CSP – the same top-tier ties Vietnam now has with 13 other countries, including global powerhouses like China, Japan and Russia, as well as Asean nations such as Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
The first of these 737 Max planes was delivered in September during a ceremony in Seattle, adding to Vietjet’s existing fleet of 121 all-Airbus aircraft, including those operated by Vietjet Thailand and Vietjet Qazaqstan.
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