WASHINGTON DC — Property developer FLC Group, which owns Bamboo Airways, signed an agreement on Monday to buy 20 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft from Boeing of the US.

The signing ceremony took place at the US Chamber of Commerce in the presence of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ.

The trade agreement, worth up to US$5.6 billion, is the Vietnamese carrier’s first deal to purchase a wide-body aircraft.

FLC Group chairman Trịnh Văn Quyết said the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner would serve long international air routes, adding that the airline’s long-term goal was to connect Việt Nam to major markets in Asia, Europe and North America.

The airplane’s high-class interior design is in line with Bamboo Airways’ target to become the first airline to provide First Class seats in Việt Nam, he added.

In May 2017, FLC Group announced the decision to establish the Việt Bamboo Airways Company, with a charter capital of VNĐ700 billion ($31.4 million).

Currently, Bamboo Airways is planning routes while waiting for the government’s approval of its operation licence. FLC plans to serve 24 domestic and 16 international routes.

In Việt Nam, the airline will connect tourism complexes, such as Thanh Hóa-Quy Nhơn, Thanh Hóa-Phú Quốc, Thanh Hóa-Nha Trang and Hải Phòng-Quy Nhơn.

In the international market, Bamboo Airways will cover Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines. It also plans to start flights to the US and Europe eventually.

In March, FLC Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus to buy up to 24 A321neo aircraft for Bamboo Airways.

Capable of accommodating 300 passengers, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner can save up to 20 per cent of fuel compared to previous versions of the Boeing.

Since 2011, more than 640 Dreamliner aircraft have been used, serving 226 million passengers on 680 air routes. — VNS