VASCO - Vietnam Air Services (0V, Ho Chi Minh City) is considering replacements for its ATR72-500 aircraft with regional jets among those being studied, CAPA has reported.

The regional subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines currently operates eight ATR - Avions de Transport Régional turboprops, all of them manufactured in 2009-2010. The aircraft are deployed on nine domestic Vietnamese routes, mainly out of Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi Noi Bai International, and Con Dao.

Possible replacements include the Bombardier Aerospace CSeries, Embraer E-Jets, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation MRJs, and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft SuperJets. The new regional jets could be used to expand the carrier's domestic network and establish maiden international short-haul routes.

For its part, the smallest aircraft, and also the only narrowbodies, operated by VASCO's parent Vietnam Airlines are A321-200s.