HÀ NỘI — Vietnam Airlines will receive and put into service two additional Airbus aircraft from June 26 to mid-July, adding nearly 23,000 seats per month to meet passengers' rising demand.

Under the plan, the national flag carrier will take delivery of an Airbus A320 on June 26 under a three-year lease agreement. Another Airbus A321 is scheduled to join the airline's fleet in July to support peak summer travel demand.

The newly added aircraft will operate on high-demand domestic routes during the summer season, including the Hà Nội–HCM City, as well as services linking the two major cities with Huế, Đà Nẵng, Quy Nhơn, Nha Trang and other destinations.

The fleet expansion is expected to provide the domestic market with nearly 23,000 additional seats each month.

Earlier, Vietnam Airlines Group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines and VASCO, announced plans to operate 28,300 domestic flights and offer nearly 5.5 million seats between now and August 16, representing year-on-year increases of 5 per cent in flight numbers and 3 per cent in seat capacity.

Vietnam Airlines will continue operating additional early morning and late evening services to offer passengers greater flexibility. The carrier is also rolling out a range of promotional campaigns during the summer period, with around 40 per cent of seats on many routes being offered at highly competitive fares.

On the international market, the airline is continuing to expand its route network. Following the launch of the Hà Nội–Amsterdam service on June 16 and the increase in frequency on the Hà Nội–Moscow route to four weekly flights from July 1, it plans to begin operating flights between HCM City and Phuket (Thailand) from July 2 at a frequency of four flights per week.

In addition, the carrier is set to launch HCM City–Colombo (Sri Lanka) route, with the inaugural service scheduled for August 16 and three flights per week.

At a time when global aircraft supply remains constrained, the continued addition of aircraft is expected to strengthen Vietnam Airlines’ operational capacity during the peak summer travel period and support a faster recovery following disruptions linked to developments in the Middle East. — VNA/VNS