All flights aligned with the safety standards of WHO, IATA and Vietnam’s Ministry of Health.
Aviation is among one of the industries that have been hit the hardest by the 2020 global pandemic. One Vietnamese airline, Vietjet, has persevered through the obstacles and achieved several milestones with its determination and adaptable business decisions. Here are some of the key milestones achieved in 2020:
1. 100 million passengers transported
Vietjet has achieved the milestone of receiving 100 million passengers on board in 2020, showcasing its rapid and sustainable development focused on its passengers. The airline has quickly expanded its international flight network from Vietnam, Thailand to India, Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia and Hong Kong.
2. Repatriation flights from the world to Vietnam
Once the COVID-19 pandemic started spreading globally, Vietjet collaborated with the relevant authorities to launch repatriation flights. The airline strictly adhered to all health regulations, collecting testing samples, sterilization process and organizing quarantine facilities and immigration zones at the airports. Vietjet’s ‘heroes with no capes’ at the time rushed round the clock to prepare for an important and urgent mission: to enable repatriation flights to take off. These were done in tandem to enhance domestic operations for summer when the first wave of the pandemic was tamed in Vietnam.
3. Launching a series of new services
In response to the pandemic, Vietjet has flexibly shifted to air cargo to deliver essential goods, medical equipment and medicine to assist medical workers in the frontline. Air cargo had soon become one of Vietjet’s core businesses, generating
considerable revenue for the carrier. It was the first airline in Vietnam to be approved to deploy cargo operations in the passenger cabin (CIPC). Vietjet introduced an unlimited flight pass known as the Power Pass and an upgraded Power Pass SkyBoss to improve passengers’ convenience and flexibility during the difficult times. The airline also launched a brand-new Deluxe ticket class and an enhanced version of the Skyboss class on its flight network by introducing attractive deals.
4. Hundreds of relief flights on the way
Typhoons landed in the Central of Vietnam in October 2020, which caused significant casualties and damages. Many provinces and cities in the region, especially Hue City, were isolated without electricity, food and clean water. Vietjet decided to operate several flights transporting hundreds of thousands of tons of food, essential goods and medical equipment together with dozens of delegations of relief workers and officers to the Central region for free to provide timely support to those who were stranded. Vietjet’s staff were also present in airports across the city busy receiving relief goods while flight crew flew nonstop towards the Central region despite the challenging weather conditions. Vietjet also launched a program named “Fly with Vietjet-joining hands to donate VND10,000 (US43 cents) per ticket to people of Central Vietnam”. All of Vietjet’s employees made their donations through the various channels of donating cash, payroll giving, offering free hours of flying or sending relief goods.
5. Domestic operation resumed; new routes launched
To continue flying while keeping passengers in mind, Vietjet announced eight new routes connecting the tourist destinations of Da Nang to Phu Quoc, Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak Province), Vinh and Thanh Hoa; the capital Hanoi to Dong Hoi; Hai Phong to Quy Nhon (Binh Dinh Province); and Vinh to Phu Quoc island. The airline also kicked off several promotions in partnership with localities looking to stir up travel demand for the economy while keeping the disease under control.
6. Ground Services Center opened
Vietjet Ground Services Center (VJGS) began operating in late September at the Noi Bai International Airport. The launch of the self-handled ground services has helped the airline better manage its operating costs while improving brand recognition and increasing each flight’s service quality. Equipped with high-quality employees and modern infrastructure, VJGS was deemed one of the airline’s most prominent projects in 2020.
7. Engaging in philanthropic activity
Besides maintaining repatriation flights to bring more than 15,000 Vietnamese back home, Vietjet has been involved in many other philanthropic activities like transporting relief goods for free and donating VND10,000 from each ticket sold to support the people in the flooded Central region. It also kicked off an annual charity program called “A Cosy Tet for You” offering gifts and scholarships to children in remote mountainous areas. More than 2.5 million masks were given to the people in
the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the United States. The one who has started this community spirit and kept it burning is no one else but Vietjet’s President & CEO, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao. She is honoured as one of the top 100 figures in Asia in terms of philanthropic activities in 2020.
8. Thai Vietjet continued to experience growth
With endless efforts to stay afloat in the pandemic, Thai Vietjet became one of the fastest-growing low-cost airlines in Thailand last year. It has rapidly expanded its network by opening new routes to Chiang Mai, Surat Thani, Khon Kaen, Ubon
Ratchathani and Nakhon Si Thammarat. In Vietnam, Vietjet has continued to utilize the advantages of a low-cost carrier model
to stand firm in the pandemic with positive financial reports. It is expected to be among very few airlines in the world reporting positive consolidated financial statement in 2020 while managing to sustain jobs for more than 6,000 employees from over 50 countries and keeping the number of employee infection at zero. Throughout 2020 and looking towards 2021, Vietjet has invested time and capital to improve its high-quality personnel, enhancing its maintenance system and training for pilots and cabin crews while accelerating the digitalization process. The airline is ready to return to international skies as soon as the ban on international flights is lifted while striving to meet increasing domestic demand in the upcoming peak periods.
Vietjet’s achievements in 2020
- The world’s Top 10 Safest & Best Low-Cost Airlines by Airlines Rating
- “The Low-Cost Carrier of the Year’ and ‘the Belly Carrier of the Year’ by Payload Asia
- Technical Reliability rate at 99.64%
- Highest safety score with 7 out of 7 stars
- Load factor at 88%
- On-Time Performance (OTP) at 90%
- All flights aligned with the safety standards of WHO, IATA and Vietnam’s Ministry of Health
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
