Vietnamese carrier launches first direct flight to Europe, plans more links

By Hoang Phong February 25, 2022 | 05:00 pm PT

Bamboo Airways' Hanoi-Frankfurt flight takes off from Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, February 25, 2022. Photo courtesy of Bamboo Airways

Bamboo Airways Friday launched its first direct route to Europe, connecting Hanoi with Germany’s Frankfurt and said it plans to open more flights to Europe this year.

There would be two weekly flights on the Hanoi-Frankfurt route and the frequency would be increased later, depending on market demand, said Huong Tran Kieu Dung, vice chairwoman of Bamboo Airways.

She noted that this was the carrier's first regular direct flight to Europe and it will expand its coverage of the continent in the coming time.

Over 103,000 Vietnamese nationals live in Germany and the country is Vietnam's biggest trade partner in the EU.

The carrier will operate a direct service between Hanoi and London next month and plans to open more flights connecting Hanoi and HCMC to Munich.

Before the pandemic, Vietnam Airlines was the only carrier in Vietnam to operate direct flights to Europe.

Vietnam has resumed commercial flights to 20 of 28 countries and territories that it operated direct flights to before the pandemic, including Frankfurt, London and Paris.

The country also ended all restrictions on international flights on Feb. 15 after gradually lifting them since Jan. 1 after almost two years of suspension.