Boeing 787 order to power new Vietnam-based airline

A new airline based in Vietnam intends to lift off with a fleet of planes made in North Charleston.

Boeing and Sun PhuQuoc Airways announced on Feb. 18 the new Vietnam-based carrier has ordered up to 40 787 Dreamliner jets to serve as the backbone of its widebody fleet. The airline will leverage the ultra-efficient, long-range 787 Dreamliner to connect international travelers to its Vietnam hub at Phu Quoc International Airport.

“Our partnership with Boeing establishes a strong foundation for building a world-class airline that operates in sync with the tourism and resort ecosystem Sun Group has developed,” said Dang Minh Truong, chairman of Sun Group, the airline’s Vietnam-based parent company. “We selected the Boeing 787-9 not only for its superior operational performance, but because it is the most suitable aircraft type to realize our vision of bringing Phu Quoc to the world and bringing the world to Phu Quoc.”

General Secretary To Lam and U.S. government representatives joined airline and Boeing leaders to recognize Sun PhuQuoc’s previously unidentified purchase, which is the largest Boeing widebody order in Vietnamese history, according to the release.

Boeing’s 787 program is based in North Charleston, where final assembly is made.

Boeing says the 787-9, with a range of 7,565 nautical miles, will position Sun PhuQuoc Airways to efficiently connect Phu Quoc with major cities and other tourist destinations across Asia, Europe and North America. The airplane builder says the 787 Dreamliner delivers superior comfort to passengers with the largest windows of any widebody airplane flying today and air that is pressurized at a lower cabin altitude, allowing passengers to arrive at their destinations feeling more refreshed.

“We are excited to work with Sun PhuQuoc Airways as they join other global airlines in flying the 787 Dreamliner, which connects the most countries of any widebody fleet,” said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 787-9’s unmatched range, fuel efficiency and passenger comfort will give the airline flexibility to open new long‑haul markets, lower operating costs and contribute to local tourism growth.”

Since airlines began flying the 787 Dreamliner family in 2011, the global fleet has helped launch more than 535 new nonstop routes globally and carried more than 1.2 billion passengers, according to Boeing.

Boeing and Vietnam Airlines, on the same day, announced that the country’s flagship carrier also placed an order for 50 of Boeing’s 737 Max models. That aircraft is manufactured at the company’s plant in Renton, Wash.

With Southeast Asia poised for significant air travel growth over the next 20 years, Vietnam is expected to be the region’s fastest-growing aviation market with annual passenger growth of nearly 8% by 2030, the release stated.

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