Vietnam’s Vietjet signs on for 20 Airbus A330neo widebodies

Vietjet Aviation JSC has committed to buying 20 Airbus SE A330-900neo planes as the carrier looks to expand its long-haul network.

The Vietnamese budget airline signed a memorandum of understanding for the widebody jets with Airbus at the Singapore airshow Thursday, bolstering its backlog of 300 single-aisle aircraft on order.

The deal adds to a handful of commercial agreements concluded in Singapore. On Tuesday, Thai Airways confirmed an order for at least 45 Boeing Co. 787-9 jets, while Royal Brunei added four. China’s Comac also picked up an order for 45 of its C919 planes from Tibet Airways.

Airbus’s first deal came Wednesday when upstart Taiwanese carrier Starlux Airlines said it would buy three more A330neos and five A350 freighters. 

VietJet, known for its bikini-clad flight attendants, is one of the fastest growing carriers in the region.

The airline in 2018 doubled its existing order for Boeing 737 Max jets to 200 after signing an initial deal in 2016 during a visit to Vietnam by then-US President Barack Obama. The carrier also has 108 Airbus A321neo jets on order pending delivery, according to the manufacturer’s order and delivery database.

The carrier operates a fleet of 84 jets including seven older leased A330 planes.