Vietnam Airlines eyes two long-haul jets

Vietnam Airlines eyes two long-haul jets

HANOI (AFP): State-owned Vietnam Airlines has requested
government permission to place orders for two long-haul jetliners
worth US$300 million in 2002, a company spokesman told AFP
Monday.

The airline has not yet decided whether to buy the Airbus A-
340 or the Boeing 777 but has already contacted the rival
European and U.S. aircraft manufacturers, the spokesman said.

The two new jets will be used for Vietnam Airlines' existing
routes to Europe as well as destinations in the United States
which the airline hopes will be opened up by a long-awaited
aviation agreement with Washington.

A limited agreement allowing code-sharing between the two
countries' airlines was inked by the two sides in March but talks
on direct flights are still continuing.

Earlier this year Vietnamese officials said the talks had ran
into difficulty over Washington's demand for so-called "fifth
freedom" rights allowing its airlines to fly through third
countries.

Hanoi has also demanded the right to fly to at least five U.S.
cities rather than the two or three it says Washington is
currently offering.

In the past three months Vietnam Airlines has announced a
series of new aircraft leasing and purchase agreements which will
come into effect by June next year.

When the planes are all delivered, the airline's fleet will
consist of five Boeing 767s, 10 Airbus A-320s, six French-built
ATR 72s and two Fokker 70s.