Wednesday launch for Bamboo

HANOI: Vietnam’s Bamboo Airways, after repeated delays, will start commercial flights on Wednesday, it said in an emailed statement.

The carrier has set minimum ticket prices at 149,000 dong (RM26.24) each and will initially operate 37 domestic routes.

Bamboo Airways would also start international flights to Asian countries this year, starting with Japan, South Korea and Singapore, it said.

Hotel and leisure company FLC Group JSC, which owns Bamboo Airways, will be competing in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets against state-owned Vietnam Airlines JSC and budget carrier VietJet Aviation JSC.

The International Air Transport Association forecasts Vietnam will be among the world’s top five fastest-growing air travel markets in the next 20 years.

Bamboo Airways would initially use 20 leased narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, said the carrier.