Vietnam's Vietjet orders 100 Airbus A321neo planes
The deal would be worth almost US$13 billion under 2018 catalogue prices.
It includes an option for Vietjet, Vietnam's largest private airline, to buy a further 50 of the jets at a later date.
"This new agreement marks a significant milestone in our strategic partnership with Airbus," said Vietjet chairwoman Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao.
"These modern and efficient aircraft have been instrumental in Vietjet's growth, helping us make air travel more accessible and affordable for millions, while strengthening our role as a connector for economic development, cultural exchange and global connectivity," she added.
Airbus executive vice president Benoit de Saint-Exupery noted the deal followed hot on the heels of a new order by Vietjet for 20 A330neo widebody aircraft.
"Together the A321neo and A330neo will be perfect partners for Vietjet to continue to spread its wings, efficiently matching capacity more closely to demand across its network," he said in a statement.
Vietjet operates a fleet of more than 100 Airbus aircraft.
As of the end of May, more than 7,000 A321neo aircraft -- the largest of Airbus' best-selling A320neo family -- have been ordered by over 90 customers worldwide, Airbus said.
The Vietjet deal came a day after Airbus announced orders for a total of more than 100 planes from Saudi companies Riyadh Air and AviLease and Polish airline LOT.
Those deals were worth nearly $20 billion at 2018 catalogue prices -- which Airbus has since phased out, as final sale prices vary according to contract terms and the version of an aircraft.
Airbus rival Boeing has meanwhile said its focus at the Paris Air Show is on "supporting customers" after the Air India crash last week. - AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
French firm teams up with JetZero on hydrogen-powered flight
An H2 logo is pictured at the Hyvolution exhibition in Paris, France, January 28, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo PARIS (Reuters) -A French technology startup unveiled plans on Wednesday to work with clean-aircraft venture JetZero to explore a potential hydrogen-powered variant of its futuristic all-wing design. The move by SHZ Advanced Technologies is likely to rekindle a debate over the potential for zero-emission flight, six months after Europe's Airbus put the brakes on plans to develop the world's first hydrogen-powered airliner. California-based JetZero aims to challenge the traditional duopoly of Airbus and Boeing by developing a so-called blended wing-body aircraft, which it claims will be able to cut fuel consumption - and therefore carbon emissions - in half. JetZero and SHZ now plan to work together under a NASA research programme to design systems capable of storing and distributing liquid hydrogen fuel, which could eliminate carbon emissions altogether and evolve into a variant of JetZero's Z4. Hydrogen is prized for its carbon-free emissions and high energy related to mass, which makes it lighter than normal fuel. However, it also takes up much more volume and must be cooled to -253 degrees Celsius, making storage a significant challenge. JetZero's blended wing-body design features a V-shaped fuselage that acts as a wing and reduces friction in the air, rather than the familiar wings and cylindrical fuselage. "Due to the wider fuselage, the airframe is far more compatible with (liquid hydrogen) fuel tanks without sacrificing passenger seating, as a 'tube and wing' airplane would," SHZ Advanced Technologies said on Wednesday. Airbus said in February it was slowing down efforts to produce a hydrogen-powered regional plane and dropped a target date of 2035, blaming a lack of supporting infrastructure. Boeing, by contrast, has been cool on the commercial viability of hydrogen flight altogether. The concept of a blended wing-body design has been around since the 1940s and led to the U.S. B-2 bomber, as well as the X-48 research project between Boeing and NASA some 18 years ago. JetZero is revisiting such designs as the aviation industry struggles to meet a target of net-zero emissions by 2050. Airbus has argued that combining such radical changes to the shape of a plane with an entirely new propulsion system would be too ambitious, and is focusing instead on hydrogen-based fuel cells inside a normal tubular aircraft configuration. But SHZ Advanced Technologies' co-founder Eric Schulz - a former senior executive at Rolls-Royce and Airbus - said JetZero would approach the task in two phases with the initial focus on a conventionally powered all-wing plane. Any hydrogen-based variant would come in a second step, he told Reuters. The French firm says it has developed hydrogen tanks that save space by avoiding the usual cylindrical shape needed for pressurised vessels and can fit more easily into the flowing contours of the Z4's fuselage. JetZero, whose backers include United Airlines, said in June it was on track to fly a full-scale prototype of the revolutionary 250-passenger airplane in 2027. (Reporting by Tim HepherEditing by Mark Potter)
Free Malaysia Today
7 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
US-EU trade deal not far from ECB's baseline forecast, says Lagarde
The US-EU trade deal establishes an effective average tariff estimated to lie between 12% and 16% for US imports of euro area goods. (EPA Images pic) FRANKFURT : The trade deal between the US and the EU is close to the baseline assumed by the European Central Bank (ECB), but uncertainty persists in key sectors like pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, ECB president Christine Lagarde said today. The EU accepted 15% tariffs on most items in the deal agreed last month, averting an all-out trade war and providing businesses greater clarity, even if the new barriers slow economic growth. 'The trade deal establishes an effective average tariff estimated to lie between 12% and 16% for US imports of euro area goods,' Lagarde said in Geneva. 'This effective average tariff is somewhat higher than – but still close to – the assumptions used in our baseline projections last June,' she said. 'The outcome of the trade deal is well below the severe scenario for US tariffs of over 20%,' she added. The ECB's baseline projection assumes economic growth of 1.1% next year while the 'severe' outcome would have lowered this to 0.7%, the ECB's June projections show. 'The US-EU trade deal is still likely to weigh on economic growth,' Lagarde added, saying a long-predicted slowdown was already evident in second-quarter economic data. 'The EU, which has always relied on extensive foreign trade for growth, should now diversify its trade with other nations to maintain growth and offset the negative impact of tariffs,' Lagarde said. 'While the US is – and will remain – an important trading partner, Europe should also aim to deepen its trade ties with other jurisdictions, leveraging the strengths of its export-oriented economy,' she said.
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Vingroup inaugurates and breaks ground on six major projects nationwide to celebrate Vietnam's 80th national day
HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire – 19 August 2025 – To mark the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Vingroup inaugurated and broke ground on six major projects across the country. The highlight was the inauguration ceremony of the National Exhibition Fair Center in Dong Anh, Hanoi, alongside five other landmark projects in the fields of socio-economic infrastructure, transportation, industry, urban development, and tourism in Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Ha Tinh, Tay Ninh, and Dong Nai. These events form part of the official national program to inaugurate and commence construction of projects celebrating the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945 – September 2, 2025). The inauguration of the National Exhibition Fair Center at Tu Lien Bridge Road, Dong Anh, Hanoi, served as the central venue of the program, with the attendance of General Secretary To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, members and former members of the Politburo, members of the Party Central Committee, as well as current and former leaders of the Party, the State, and heads of central and local ministries and agencies. Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the National Exhibition Fair Center, completed in just under 10 months, is poised to become a space that will foster the development of Vietnam's cultural and entertainment industries. The Prime Minister praised the determination of enterprises, particularly private ones, in building and developing national infrastructure with the spirit: 'What we say, we do. What we commit, we deliver. Once we act and commit, there must be tangible results. And today, we have proved this.' Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also affirmed that these projects demonstrate Vietnam's determination to achieve self-reliance and master technology in socio-economic infrastructure development, creating projects in Vietnam, for Vietnam, and by the Vietnamese people. 'I hope that we will see more iconic projects of Vietnam, admired and recognized by friends across the region and around the world,' the Prime Minister said. The National Exhibition Fair Center spans more than 900,000 m², positioned to become the largest exhibition complex in Southeast Asia and one of the Top 10 largest in the world. At the core of the complex is the iconic Kim Quy Exhibition Hall, featuring a colossal 24,000-ton steel dome, 56 meters high, inspired by the legendary Golden Turtle God (Kim Quy) whose myth is closely linked with the heritage site of Co Loa. Covering approximately 130,000 m², the Kim Quy Hall comprises nine major exhibition halls and one central grand hall, offering an ideal space for specialized exhibitions and large-scale events, with versatile layouts optimized for diverse displays. The exhibition ecosystem also includes a permanent exhibition center (Block A), four outdoor exhibition areas (East – West – South – North), and VinPalace Co Loa, the largest international convention center in Vietnam, covering 16,800 m² with 12 banquet and conference halls that can host events from several hundred to over 5,000 guests. Complementary facilities include landscaped parks and lakes, a food court of over 3,000 m², and parking areas spanning more than 18 hectares, accommodating over 10,000 vehicles. After an accelerated construction period of just 10 months, the National Exhibition Fair Center has officially been inaugurated and is ready to host the national milestone event celebrating the 80th National Independence Day: the exhibition '80 Years of Independence – Freedom – Happiness.' The second project site was the inauguration of the May Chai Bridge (Royal Bridge) and its approach roads, part of the Vinhomes Royal Island project in Hai Phong. Spanning nearly 2.2 km in length and 21 meters in width with four lanes, the bridge connects Vu Yen Island with Le Thanh Tong Street, reducing travel time to the city center to under five minutes. With its twin arch towers symbolizing both soaring wings and a welcoming 'World Gateway Bridge,' the Royal Bridge is set to become a new landmark of Hai Phong, embodying openness to investment and economic opportunities. The third project site was the groundbreaking of an 18-hole international-standard golf course in Quang Hanh, Quang Ninh, covering 100 hectares. Nestled among natural forests with views of both mountains and Ha Long Bay, the course was designed under the philosophy of environmental preservation by renowned contemporary golf course designer Doug Carrick. Once operational, it will elevate Quang Ninh's reputation in tourism and sports. The fourth project site marked the start of construction on the Vinhomes Industrial Park in Vung Ang, Ha Tinh. Located on lots CN4 and CN5 of the Vung Ang Economic Zone, the project spans nearly 965 hectares, making it one of the largest in the region, with modern, synchronized infrastructure including factories, ports, and logistics facilities. The project is set to attract leading national and regional enterprises in industry, high technology, logistics, and exports—driving local economic growth and enabling Vietnamese enterprises to expand globally. The fifth project site was the groundbreaking of the Phuoc Vinh Tay New Urban Area in Tay Ninh, covering 1,089.6 hectares. Developed as an eco-smart sustainable city, it will feature a complete ecosystem of education, healthcare, commerce, and services, positioning it as one of the province's most significant future urban developments. The sixth project site was the commencement of Component Project 1: Construction of the Western North-South Expressway, Gia Nghia (Dak Nong) – Chon Thanh (Binh Phuoc) section, passing through Dong Nai province. The expressway spans 124.13 km (23.1 km in Dak Nong, 101.03 km in Binh Phuoc), designed for a full six-lane scale. Strategically, it will connect the Central Highlands with the Southeast region, particularly Dak Nong and Binh Phuoc with Ho Chi Minh City, unlocking regional economic potential and creating new growth momentum. By simultaneously inaugurating and breaking ground on national-scale infrastructure projects across six provinces and cities, Vingroup reaffirms its pioneering role in strengthening Vietnam's internal capabilities. These projects reflect the spirit of innovation and progress in the nation's 80-year journey of independence, renewal, and global integration.
