Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc awards the Independence Medal-Second Class to representatives of the Flight Crew 919,  which is Vietnam Airlines today. — Photo Vietnam Airlines

HÀ NỘI — As a national flag carrier and reserve force for national security and defence, Vietnam Airlines should strive to become the first 5-star airline of Vietnam in the earliest time, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has said.

He made the statement while attending a ceremony in Hà Nội Saturday to celebrate the 60th founding anniversary of 919 Transport Air Force Regiment, the predecessor of Flight Crew 919, which is Vietnam Airlines today.

From a regiment in the past, Flight Crew 919 has now become a core unit of the 4-star airline, he said, adding that it has been taking the lead in applying the world’s most advanced technology, training and managing over 1,000 pilots, including foreign ones, to operate a series of new generation aircraft to transport passengers and goods safely.

The Prime Minister expressed his pleasure at the increasing number of Vietnamese pilots in Vietnam Airlines, accounting for up to 75 per cent. 

Vietnam Airlines can fully master the world's most advanced aircraft generations such as Boeing 787 and Airbus 350, he said proudly.

Phúc recalled the historical achievements of the Việt Nam civil aviation in 2011 when Vietnam Airlines and Flight Crew 919 conducted 10 flights by Boeing 777 on 14 consecutive days, safely transporting over 3,000 Vietnamese citizens to return home and nearly 13.5 tonnes of relief goods in a campaign to save Vietnamese workers from Libya’s civil war.

While stressing the role of Vietnam Airlines and the civil aviation sector in the country’s new period of economic development, the Government leader asked the airline to exert more efforts to realise the goal of making tourism a spearhead economy, accounting for over 10 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP).

He asked the airline to ensure the maintenance of flight safety and provision of high-quality human resources.

He also assigned the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises and the Ministry of Transport to focus on directing Vietnam Airlines in the process of equitisation and restructuring to guarantee efficiency and prevent negative phenomena.

On the occasion, he presented the second-class Independence Order to Flight Crew 919.

Vietnam Airlines, a member of SkyTeam alliance, is operating 90 domestic and international air routes. — VNS