In 2010, the tourism and transport markets revived on the heels of global economic recovery. For this reason, Vietnam Airlines (VNA) achieved better-than-expected business results. In 2010, VNA opened seven international routes and four domestic routes to serve increasing passenger demand.
The national flag carrier was estimated to transport 12.3 million passengers in 2010, 13.2 percent higher than the yearly plan and 33.7 percent higher than the volume in 2009, of which domestic passengers accounted for 8 million, exceeding the annual plan by 12.6 percent and rising 31.1 percent from 2009, and international passengers were 4.3 million, representing an increase of 14.3 percent over the yearly plan and 37.6 percent over 2009. It carried 166,300 tonnes of cargo in 2010, 16.4 percent higher than the annual plan and 43.9 percent higher than the volume in 2009.
Revenues were forecast to reach VND36,265 billion for the year, surpassing the annual target by 13.2 percent and rising 47.3 percent year on year. After setting aside all provisions worth nearly VND1,000 billion, VNA earned pre-tax profit of VND350 billion and paid VND323 billion to the State Budget.
In 2010, Vietnam Airlines completed a 4-aircaft investment plan carried out from 2006 through 2010, receiving the final aircraft from manufacturers. The carrier renewed ATR 72 airplane fleet by selling and returning previous-generation ATR72-200 planes to its manufacturers in May 2010. Besides, Vietnam Airlines also carried out key projects like upgrading information technology systems; deploying e-commerce systems and online booking systems; training pilots; carrying out the broad-body A75 airplane hangar project and the No. 2 A76 airplane hangar factory. All investment projects were implemented on schedule to improve service quality, infrastructure capacity and human resources, to guarantee aircraft fleet service, and to meet requirements for large-scale operations.
Another important event took place in June 2010 when Vietnam Airlines officially joined the global airline alliance, SkyTeam, as a major strategic partner of SkyTeam in Southeast Asia. This event marked an important milestone in the development process of Vietnam Airlines and confirmed a new level and position of the carrier in world aviation. Within just over a year, Vietnam Airlines increased its flights from 225 a day to 320 by late 2010.
To meet the rising demand during Tet, or Lunar New Year 2011, Vietnam Airlines will add 583 flights on 10 routes, mainly axis routes. 100,000 seats will be added to local routes. Accordingly, 307 more flights will be added on the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route, providing some 63,000 more seats, up 41 percent from normal. 129 more flights with 26,820 seats will be added to the Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang City route, an increase of 35 percent from normal operations and 24 percent from the last Tet. All additional flights will depart at night to ease operation and traffic congestion at airports during the most important holiday in Vietnam. During the week just before and after the first day of the lunar year, Vietnam Airlines will operate round the clock to meet any sudden surge in demand.
World economies are expected to keep growth momentum in 2011, but still face uncertainty arising from financial market turbulence and inflation cooling efforts in many countries. Vietnam Airlines will focus on investing in human resources, taking advantage of growth opportunities, expanding business operations, opening new routes to widen the network, flexibly developing market-oriented products, and completing important investment projects to facilitate the realisation of objectives and tasks in the five-year plan from 2011 to 2015. In 2011, Vietnam Airlines strives to transport over 14 million passengers (up 20 percent) and 193,000 tonnes of cargo (up 16 percent), rake in revenues of VND45,500 billion, up 28 percent from 2010, and make a good profit.
Luu Hiep
Vietnamese
