Summary
- Vietnam Airlines will recruit laid-off crew from Bamboo Airways as it considers a narrowbody-only model.
- Other Vietnamese airlines express concern for Bamboo Airways and want it to remain a player in the competitive market.
- Bamboo Airways transitions ground operations to Pacific Airlines, a subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, to support its restructuring efforts.
Vietnam Airlines, the flag carrier of Vietnam, is stepping in to recruit crew laid off by the downsizing of six-year-old Bamboo Airways. It has experienced growing pains and is considering moving to a narrowbody-only model.
Bamboo, which had launched long-haul operations from Vietnam to Australia, axed these in October, alongside all other long-haul operations, including London Gatwick and Frankfurt, marking the airline’s end of long-haul services.
Photo: Vytautas Kielaitis | Shutterstock
Skyteam member Vietnam Airlines, which is a state-owned carrier, reiterated that it will look to recruit those laid off by Bamboo and other Vietnamese airlines facing operational challenges, subject to the demands of their current network, without overcapitalizing on staff numbers to ensure it’s own financial stability.
A smaller Bamboo Airways
Other Vietnamese airlines have expressed their concern for the carrier and the desire for Bamboo (QH) to remain a player in the highly competitive Vietnamese market, in which the Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) to Ho Chi Minh Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), is globally, the fourth busiest air route. While most of Bamboo’s international services are now terminated or suspended, the carrier continues to operate a robust domestic network with its fleet of over 20 aircraft.
Photo: Melbourne Airport
Vietjet, another Vietnamese carrier, has also chimed in with their concerns for Bamboo, noting that the global shortage of aircraft that can be expected in the post-pandemic travel boom will see demand for passenger services increase. The Hanoi-based, low-cost carrier, which recently launched a flurry of routes to Australia, has recruited more than 50 cabin crew and 20 pilots from Bamboo.
Bamboo Airways Dumps Boeing 787s To Australia And Cuts Network
Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways is abandoning long-haul services and is operating its last flights to Australia in coming days.
Ground services to be offered by Pacific Airlines
Another notable change for Bamboo will be its transition for ground-based operations from Saigon Ground Services to Pacific Airlines, a subsidiary of the state-owned carrier Vietnam Airlines. The change is expected to support Pacific Airlines, which was heavily impacted during the pandemic, and its current restructuring.
Photo: Bamboo Airways
As published by Bamboo in October, the airline’s new CEO, Luong Hoai Nam, noted the airline’s vision for a firmer, more robust carrier in the future:
“The process of restructuring Bamboo Airways has been taking place with a clear and focused direction. In my opinion, this is the most extensive, strategic, and far-reaching restructuring project ever undertaken in Vietnamese aviation history. As the General Director, I am determined to give my best effort to successfully complete the assigned tasks, and contribute towards the prompt restructuring process. Our ultimate goal is to stabilize the operation and create opportunities for future growth. Among our first targets is to bring back the fleet size to 30 aircraft, and then aim to increase to 50 and beyond.”
In the short term, Bamboo looks to work with its various lessor agreements and adjust purchase agreements with Boeing and Airbus. While the carrier seems to downsize, this may be shortlived, with the airline noting it plans to expand its network again in 2024.
