VietNamNet Bridge - Initially VietJetAir planed to buy 62 aircraft but it has just increased the number to 63.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, CEO of Vietjet Air and Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hung, Chairman of SOVICO - VietjetAir's parent company at the signing ceremony. Photo: VNE

The agreement to buy 63 aircraft was signed between the two sides on February 11, at the Singapore Air Show.

This package is part of an order to buy 92 aircraft and rent 8 others totaling $9.1 billion of the Vietnamese private airlines.

Of the 63 aircraft, there are 42 A320neo, 14 A320ceo, 6 A321s and one A321s Sharklet. The number of aircraft increased from 62 to 63 only one hour before the signing ceremony, after the Airbus offered some incentives to Vietjet Air if it buys the A321s Sharklet, which is in the testing phase.

The total value of this order is $6.4 billion. The first aircraft will be delivered immediately this year.

The official signing ceremony took place after the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding for 100 aircraft last September at the French Prime Minister's mansion.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, vice president and CEO of VietJet Air, said the firm buys aircraft to serve its expansion of air routes and market growth in the future.

Accordingly, in 2014 this private airline will open 7 new international routes. In addition, the Thai VietJetAir - JV of Vietjet in Thailand will need more aircraft when it begins to take off from June 2014, initially with 3-5 domestic and 2-3 to international routes.

The Singapore Airshow is held every two years and is one of the largest civil and military aviation exhibitions in the world. This year's exhibition takes place from February 11 to 16 at Changi International Airport.

Son Tung