Latest news with #SunPhuQuocAirways


Skift
3 days ago
- Business
- Skift
First Creative Details Emerge for Vietnam's New 'Resort in the Sky' Airline
Putting Bill Bensley at the creative helm is a bold statement of intent for Sun PhuQuoc Airways, but turning a lifestyle concept into a viable airline remains a challenging task. A new Vietnamese airline is hoping to take flight by the end of the year: Sun PhuQuoc Airways (SPA) will be operated by a subsidiary of local real estate and hospitality developer Sun Group. Much is still unknown about the venture, which intends to operate a hub-and-spoke network from Phu Quoc island in southern Vietnam. But attendees at the Skift Asia Forum in Bangkok this month heard some exclusive details from Bill Bensley, creative director of Bensley Design Studios. 'We're going to build – within three years – this 40-fleet airline,' Bensley told Skift CEO and co-founder, Rafat Ali. 'They want it to be very, very high-end … with half the plane in executive class and first class.' Bensley spoke of his love for Vietnam and explained how this will manifest itself on the aircraft: 'I've identified about 35 of the most beautiful parts of Vietnam. These parts [will] then be painted full-body on the plane. Instead of a stripe across or a swish, the entire image of these 35 places are painted on the outside of the plane.' Bensley said this imagery will 'carry through' into the aircraft. He will take a creative lead on numerous passenger-facing elements such as uniforms and menus. 'It's the whole deal, the whole imaging,' he added. Bensley previously worked with the Sun Group on seven hotels in the region. Watch Bill Bensley in Conversation with Rafat Ali at the Skift Asia Forum 2025: RECORDED MAY 2025. The investment case for the new carrier has received the green light from Vietnam's prime minister. Despite the ambitious timeline, there are no details about how SPA will source its aircraft. The Sun Group already operates a private jet business in Vietnam, however these planes are much smaller than those that will be needed for the new airline. A statement from Sun Group said that along with domestic routes, it is considering international destinations, including Japan, South Korea, and China. The company is using the term 'resort airline' to describe its vision: 'This innovative model combines transportation and tourism, where each flight is not merely a means of getting from one place to another but the beginning of a vacation, starting the moment passengers step on board and journey through the skies,' said a company statement. The wider ambition is to 'transform every aircraft into a resort in the sky,' with amenities and services designed to create a sense of leisure and relaxation. Sun Group already has a significant footprint in Phu Quoc through its hospitality and leisure portfolio. The company says it will package flights with these existing products. A First-Time Project Established as a go-to name for hotel, landscape, and interior designs, the world of aviation is new to Bensley and his team. 'It's a totally new thing for me. First time ever, but that's the thing that I like to do... We are asked to do a new project about once a day, so it's a great honor to be able to be very choosy about what we do,' he told the Skift Asia Forum. Vietnam's Golden Visa Ambition to 23-Million Tourist Target More Chinese tourists are now choosing Vietnam over Thailand. Smart visa policies could help keep it that way. The easier it is to get in, the more likely travelers, and their wallets, will follow. Read More If realized, Sun PhuQuoc Airways will join Vietnam's five other major airlines. As well as flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, these include low-cost operators Vietjet Air and Pacific Airlines. An initial investment of 2.5 trillion Vietnamese dong ($96m) has been allotted to the project. An undertaking of SPA's scale will require a figure many times higher, however additional sources of capital are currently unclear. Major airlines already serving Phu Quoc include AirAsia, China Eastern, Korean Air, and Scoot. Skift analysis of data from Cirium Diio suggests around 25 carriers fly to the island, although some of these are only on a seasonal or charter basis. What am I looking at? The performance of airline sector stocks within the ST200. The index includes companies publicly traded across global markets including network carriers, low-cost carriers, and other related companies. The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. See more airlines sector financial performance. Read the full methodology behind the Skift Travel 200.


Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Vietnam approves establishment of Sun PhuQuoc Airways, Infra News, ET Infra
Advt Vietnam's Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh , has approved the establishment of a new airline, Sun PhuQuoc Airways , the official Vietnam News Agency reported on Tuesday.A spokesperson for the company confirmed the approval in an email to Reuters on Wednesday, without giving further airline, the parent company of which is real estate and hospitality developer Sun Group , will begin operations with an initial investment of $96 million and plans to launch its first flight by the fourth quarter of 2025, VNA aviation market in Vietnam, a country with a population of 100 million, is growing rapidly since recovering from the COVID pandemic, prompting businesses to vie for market PhuQuoc Airways - set to operate alongside national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines Bamboo Airways , and Vietravel Airlines - aims to expand its fleet to 31 aircraft by 2030, the VNA report said. The new airline will provide both commercial and charter Group has previously launched Sun Air, a high-end airline offering premium private jet services to wealthy customers, according to its saw a 23 per cent year-on-year increase in visitor numbers in the first four months of this year, with 7.7 million tourists arriving in the country, according to official data.
Business Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Vietnam approves establishment of Sun PhuQuoc Airways
[HANOI] Vietnam's Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh, has approved the establishment of a new airline, Sun PhuQuoc Airways, the official Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported on Tuesday (May 20). A spokesperson for the company confirmed the approval in an e-mail to Reuters on Wednesday, without giving further details. The airline, the parent company of which is real estate and hospitality developer Sun Group, will begin operations with an initial investment of 2.5 trillion dong (S$124 million) and plans to launch its first flight by the fourth quarter of 2025, VNA reported. The aviation market in Vietnam, a country with a population of 100 million, is growing rapidly since recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting businesses to vie for market share. Sun PhuQuoc Airways – set to operate alongside national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, low-cost carrier VietJet, Bamboo Airways, and Vietravel Airlines – aims to expand its fleet to 31 aircraft by 2030, the VNA report said. The new airline will provide both commercial and charter flights. Sun Group has previously launched Sun Air, a high-end airline offering premium private jet services to wealthy customers, according to its website. Vietnam saw a 23 per cent year-on-year increase in visitor numbers in the first four months of this year, with 7.7 million tourists arriving in the country, according to official data. REUTERS


Reuters
21-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Vietnam approves establishment of Sun PhuQuoc Airways
HANOI, May 21 (Reuters) - Vietnam's Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh, has approved the establishment of a new airline, Sun PhuQuoc Airways, the official Vietnam News Agency reported on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the company confirmed the approval in an email to Reuters on Wednesday, without giving further details. The airline, the parent company of which is real estate and hospitality developer Sun Group, will begin operations with an initial investment of 2.5 trillion dong ($96 million) and plans to launch its first flight by the fourth quarter of 2025, VNA reported. The aviation market in Vietnam, a country with a population of 100 million, is growing rapidly since recovering from the COVID pandemic, prompting businesses to vie for market share. Sun PhuQuoc Airways - set to operate alongside national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, low-cost carrier VietJet, Bamboo Airways, and Vietravel Airlines - aims to expand its fleet to 31 aircraft by 2030, the VNA report said. The new airline will provide both commercial and charter flights. Sun Group has previously launched Sun Air, a high-end airline offering premium private jet services to wealthy customers, according to its website. Vietnam saw a 23% year-on-year increase in visitor numbers in the first four months of this year, with 7.7 million tourists arriving in the country, according to official data.