Bamboo Airways has launched a new route to Frankfurt, Germany, marking the airline's first regular scheduled services to Europe.

Twice-weekly non-stop flights from Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) to Frankfurt (FRA) began on February 25th, operated by the airline's flagship Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Frequencies are expected to increase according to demand.

Further international expansion on the horizon

This route isn’t the only notable expansion from Bamboo Airways in recent weeks. On January 25th the carrier commenced flights from Hanoi to Tokyo’s Narita Airport (NRT), operated by its A321neo aircraft.

The launch of these flights has been perfectly timed to tap into the increased demand around Vietnam’s Lunar New Year (Tết) holiday at the start of February, which is a popular time for leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) travel.

Further international expansion has included the launch of its Hanoi to London Heathrow (LHR) service and from Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) to Melbourne (MEL) on March 25th.

The airline has ambitious plans, stating, aiming to operate 40 international routes in 2022. Flights to the USA are also widely expected to be added to its growing network soon.

A closer look at Bamboo Airways

Bamboo Airways commenced operations in January 2019, with only one year of normal operations before the pandemic struck. Despite the impact of travel restrictions, Bamboo’s route network has subsequently recovered to include an impressive array of destinations around Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Macau.

The airline currently has a fleet of 29 aircraft, with Airbus A319, A320 and A321 and Embraer E190 aircraft used for domestic and regional flights, and three Boeing 787-9. Up to now the Dreamliners have been flying on key domestic and regional routes, but they will soon be used on these new long-haul routes.

Bamboo’s Boeing 787-9 are equipped with 294 seats spread over three classes – business, premium economy and economy. Take a look inside here.

Vietnam’s international travel recovery

In 2019, Vietnam welcomed over 18 million foreign tourists, however strict entry requirements have been in place since the start of the pandemic. Domestic travel has remained fairly buoyant, but foreign nationals are currently prohibited from entering Vietnam, with only a small number of exceptions.

There are rumors that border restrictions for foreign travelers will begin to ease by the end of April, and with the launch of these new services to Japan, Germany, the UK and Australia, Bamboo Airways is undoubtedly keen to tap into this huge market and the expected increase in demand.

Bamboo Airways isn’t the only Vietnamese airline to announce international expansion. National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines recently made their long-awaited return to Europe, resuming Hanoi to Frankfurt services on January 27th, with flights from Hanoi to London Heathrow following on February 8th.

Could this expansion mark the international recovery of Vietnam’s aviation industry? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.