According to the Bangkok Post, Vietjet Air (HoSE: VJC) is set to receive its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, nearly a decade after the initial agreement in 2016. The delivery, delayed for years due to technical issues and the COVID-19 pandemic, is not just a business milestone but a significant move to balance Vietnam-U.S. trade relations.
Reuters and Bangkok Post report that the handover ceremony for the first aircraft is scheduled to take place at Boeing’s facility in Renton, Seattle, Washington, later this week. High-ranking Vietnamese officials are expected to attend, underscoring the deal’s strategic importance.
A Boeing 737 MAX under assembly at Boeing’s Renton factory, north of Seattle, Washington, in June 2024. (Photo: Jennifer Buchanan/Pool via Reuters). Source: Bangkok Post
Reuters highlights that Vietjet’s Boeing purchase aligns with Vietnam’s strategy to reduce its trade surplus with the U.S. With Airbus dominating 86% of Vietnam’s airline fleet, Vietjet and Vietnam Airlines’ interest in Boeing aircraft signals a goodwill gesture toward diversifying suppliers.
In January 2024, Vietjet announced deals worth nearly $50 billion with major U.S. corporations, including Boeing, further solidifying its role as a trade bridge between the two nations.
Beyond trade, Vietjet’s strategy is ambitiously commercial. While Vietjet Air in Vietnam is the recipient, the new Boeing fleet will primarily serve its subsidiary, Thai Vietjet. The first 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will be delivered to Thai Vietjet, positioning it as a regional expansion leader.
Thai Vietjet aircraft.
In preparation, Bangkok Post reports that Vietjet plans to hire 5,000 new employees in Thailand, launch direct flights to Japan, South Korea, and India, and reshape Thailand’s domestic aviation market, where it currently holds the third-largest market share.
Vietjet Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao stated that delivering 50 modern, fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 aircraft to Thai Vietjet demonstrates the airline’s long-term commitment to sustainable regional aviation development.
At the 2018 Farnborough Airshow in the UK, Vietjet and Boeing signed a $12.7 billion contract for 100 B737 MAX aircraft.
This expansion is backed by robust financials. According to the Q2/2025 Consolidated Financial Report, Vietjet recorded VND 35.837 trillion in net revenue and VND 1.292 trillion in post-tax profit for the parent company in the first half of the year, a 55% surge year-on-year. Total assets surpassed VND 112.330 trillion.
Notably, Vietjet has begun construction on its Aircraft Maintenance Center in Long Thanh, including hangars 3 and 4, capable of servicing 10 aircraft simultaneously to international standards.
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