Beginning 19 January, Vietnam Airlines will operate flights between Danang, Vietnam and Shanghai, China. With the addition of this new route, Vietnam Airlines will operate a total of 19 different routes between Vietnam and China.
As reported by Business Traveller today, Vietnam Airlines will be launching its 19th route between Vietnam and China on 19 January.
According to Vietnam Airlines, it already operates flights direct to a number of major Chinese cities. Current routes include Shanghai - Danang - Hanoi/ Ho Chi Minh City and Danang - Shanghai - Hangzhou – Danang.
Lucky number 19
2019 was a good year for the Vietnamese flag carrier, as it opened a number of new routes throughout Southeast Asia and further afield.
Back in October, Vietnam Airlines announced two new leisure routes out of Ho Chi Minh City – one to Phuket, Thailand and one to Bali, Indonesia.
The new Danang to Shanghai flights will run twice-weekly on Thursdays and Sundays. Flights out of Danang will depart at 5:55pm local time, while flights from Shanghai will depart at 11:20pm local time.
According to the airline, the new Danang to Shanghai route will operate with four-star service on its Airbus A321s.
Cause for celebration
Vietnam and China are neighbours and both countries’ populations are among the most well-travelled in the region. There are also increasingly important business ties between the two.
With this in mind, it’s no surprise that there is a high demand for flights between Vietnam and China. But even so, 19 routes between the two countries for Vietnam Airlines alone is impressive.
To celebrate the milestone 19th route, Vietnam Airlines is offering special reduced-fare tickets for a limited time only.
Customers who buy tickets between 30 December 2019 and 31 January 2020 for flights departing between 19 January 2020 and 28 March 2020 will be able to snag a return trip between Danang and Shanghai from just $227.
The airline says the tickets are “purchasable via Vietnam Airlines’ official website, mobile app, ticketing offices, and agents under certain conditions.”
Vietnam Airlines
When it comes to regional competition, Vietnam Airlines has a lot. Not only does it have a sizeable domestic competitor in VietJet Air, it also has a number of major international competitors in China.
Vietnam Airlines itself is by no means small. In fact, at the end of October, it welcomed its 100th aircraft to its fleet.
The third of a total order of eight Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners arrived on 22nd October with a ceremony attended by Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister, Truong Hoa Binh.
The acquisition of the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner by Vietnam Airlines was a big deal. Not only was Vietnam Airlines one of the first few airlines to receive the type, but the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner also became the largest aircraft flown by any Vietnamese carrier.
This is a milestone that many within the country’s political sphere are well aware of. Vietnam Airlines has grand plans to lift Vietnam’s aviation industry among the tough local competition, and it looks like it's on the right track.