Vietnam Airlines will open direct flights to the US

Vietnam Airlines plans to open direct flights to the United States in 2018.

Vietnam Airlines aircraft at Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi). Photo: VNA

General Director of Vietnam Airlines Corporation Duong Tri Thanh said that the plan for this new route was prepared by Vietnam Airlines 10 years ago.

The airline has focused on upgrading its service quality and investing in its equipment system with a wide-body fleet, including two of the world's most advanced new-generation aircraft, the Airbus A350-900 and the Boeing B787 Dreamliner.

Currently, Vietnam Airlines is actively coordinating with Vietnamese aviation authorities to implement specific tasks.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, in order for domestic airlines to be able to open direct flights to the US instead of transiting in a third country, Vietnam must obtain CAT 1 approval (air safety approval of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)).

The Civil Aviation Authority is focusing on working with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Aviation Safety Inspectorate in Vietnam in the ICAO global aviation safety assessment program.

The unit is also preparing for the FAA's safety oversight capacity assessment in the third quarter of 2016 to help the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam achieve CAT 1 approval.

According to VNA