VietJetAir (VJ, Hanoi Noi Bai International) has bought fifteen new A321XLRs, industry sources have told Reuters. The deal was included in the Airbus order statement for August 2019, but the name of the airline was withheld and referred to as "an undisclosed customer".
Airbus and VietJet declined to comment to the news agency about the order.
Demand from Asia-Pacific has been fuelling sales of the newest "extra-long-range" version of the manufacturer’s narrowbody range, the total orders for which now stand at nearly 300.
In August, AirAsia (AK, Kuala Lumpur International) ordered thirty of the aircraft as it scaled down an order for the larger A330neo, while in June Qantas Group placed an order for thirty-six XLRs, which it said would be operated on routes between Australia and Asia.
VietJetAir currently has a fleet of sixty-six Airbus aircraft, including twenty-two A320-200s, thirty-three A321-200s, and eleven A321-200neo, according to ch-aviation fleets. It holds Vietnam's biggest domestic market share, at 44%, Reuters said.
Of its 74 routes, 33 are international, all of which are to destinations in Asia, according to the ch-aviation capacities module. The carrier said earlier this year that it was considering new subsidiaries across Asia besides Thai VietJetAir (VZ, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi).
