Vietnam Airlines has become the first carrier in the country to secure a coveted license to fly direct to the United States, according to the airline and a regulatory filing seen by AFP. The approval has for months been sought by Vietnamese carriers eager to exploit a fast-growing market for air travel among Vietnam's booming middle class.
Domestic and regional air travel has mushroomed among Vietnamese travellers, and carriers are hoping the market will extend to US travel too. Vietnam Airlines has been licensed to fly from Hanoi and the southern business hub Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Seattle and Dallas, according to a regulatory filing from the US Department of Transportation obtained by AFP. The carrier will also be able to connect to Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto in Canada, it said. The terms, which came into effect on August 26, cover "air transportation of persons, property and mail" between the Vietnamese and North American cities. It was not immediately clear if the flights would be non-stop or would transit through Taipei, Osaka and Nagoya, which were listed as approved intermediate hubs in the filing. The national carrier confirmed the approval on Thursday, calling it "an important move by Vietnam Airlines in preparing its plan to fly to the US in the coming time". It did not say when the first flight could take to the skies. The regulations were announced after the US Federal Aviation Administration in February awarded Vietnam a "category 1" rating, meaning airlines from the country can fly to the United States.