Vietnam Airlines and the Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank) on Sept. 4 signed a 50-million USD loan for the purchase of 16 Airbus A321 planes.
Vietnam Airlines Corp. General Director Pham Ngoc Minh and Techcombank General Director Nguyen Duc Vinh inked the contract in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung.
The move forms part of the national flag carrier’s master plan to triple its fleet from 50 to 150 aircraft by 2020.
These Airbus A321 planes will be used to increase flights and open new routes to Northeast Asia.
Last June, Techcombank, together with HSBC and Credit Suisse, signed a financing package worth up to 120 million USD with Vietnam Airlines for the purchase of six ATR 72-500 aircraft from the Toulouse, France-based manufacturer.
Vietnam Airlines said it will improve the quality of its service to become the second biggest Southeast Asian carrier after Singapore Airlines in 2015, when it will have 104 aircraft in its fleet./.