DUBAI: Emirates has signed two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with Vietnam Airlines and VietJet, aimed at strengthening connectivity and offering more travel choices between Dubai and its Vietnamese gateways Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
The MoUs were signed on the sidelines of the Vietnam – UAE Business Forum, held at the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah hotel in Dubai on 28 October. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer attended the signing ceremony along with government leaders, ministers, and business representatives from both countries. Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Far East delivered a keynote highlighting the airline’s commitment to deepening its presence in Vietnam, a market it has been serving since 2012, supporting trade and tourism links between the UAE and Vietnam, as well as offering customers convenient travel options.
Adnan Kazim, commented: “Enhancing our cooperation with like-minded partners like Vietnam Airlines and VietJet is integral to our core commercial strategy to better connect customers across points beyond our own network. Vietnam is a market that presents tremendous opportunities to boost tourism and trade as a key hub in Southeast Asia, and Emirates supports the UAE government’s ongoing efforts to elevate its existing economic ties with Vietnam. Our decades-long cooperation with Vietnam Airlines has enabled us to enhance connectivity between Vietnam and Dubai, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to explore further elevating this partnership while also establishing a new strategic cooperation with VietJet. We look forward to growing our footprint in Vietnam and exploring more opportunities to widen the scope of our partnerships in the future.”
Emirates and Vietnam Airlines MoU
The MoU sets the framework to expand the current cooperation in place between both airlines. This includes enhancing connectivity on routes beyond the existing interline as well as the potential to add reciprocal loyalty benefits. The airlines will also enter exploratory discussions around potential collaborations across cargo and technical services to create seamless experiences for travellers. The long-standing relationship between Emirates and Vietnam Airlines, which began with a bilateral interline cooperation in 1994, has helped connect customers to 22 domestic and 15 regional points in Vietnam Airline’s network, as well as 12 points in Emirates’ global network.
Nguyen Chien Thang, Vietnam Airlines’ Executive Vice President, said: “This MoU with Emirates is a significant milestone for Vietnam Airlines. The cooperation allows us to unleash the combined power of our networks as Vietnam Airlines seeks to leverage our international presence and provide our passengers with enhanced flexibility and convenience. We are excited about the possibilities this partnership brings in strengthening the ties between the two airlines as well as the two countries, allowing our passengers to explore the most sought-after tourist destinations in Southeast Asia, the UAE and beyond.”
Emirates and VietJet MoU
Through Emirates’ MoU with VietJet, both airlines will explore joint initiatives to help promote visitor traffic between the UAE and Vietnam, and strengthen the commercial cooperation between both carriers. The MoU will further aim to enhance connectivity to popular destinations in VietJet’s domestic and regional network via Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, among others, while offering VietJet customers increased access to Emirates’ global network via its Dubai hub on a single itinerary and one baggage policy.
Vietjet Chief Executive Officer Dinh Viet Phuongexpressed his enthusiasm for the MoU: “Vietjet placed its aircraft order in Dubai in 2015, and we have previously operated in the UAE through wet leasing. Today’s partnership with Emirates marks the beginning of an official connection with the largest airline in the region. Through this collaboration, Vietjet passengers will enjoy cost-effective, seamless journeys to international destinations worldwide, complemented by Emirates’ top-tier service. This agreement expands Vietjet’s global presence, attracts more visitors to Vietnam, fosters sustainable growth, and enhances cultural exchange. We believe this collaboration will have a positive, lasting impact on both nations and the international aviation industry.”
With its rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and rapidly growing economy, Vietnam is increasingly attracting travelers and businesses from around the world. The establishment of deeper ties with local air carriers reflects the broader efforts of both governments to foster greater tourism and business links between the two nations.
The UAE and Vietnam have also signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA), the first free-trade agreement Vietnam has established with a Middle East country, aiming to boost trade and investment. According to the UAE Ministry of Economy, in the first half of 2024, bilateral trade between the two countries surpassed $3.2 billion, a 43 per cent increase on-year.
Emirates currently operates daily services to both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, utilising its Boeing 777 and offering travellers seamless access between Vietnam and popular destinations across Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. The airline will further add a second daily flight to Ho Chi Minh City starting from 15 January 2025, catering to the growing demand for travel ahead of the Lunar New Year festival.
