Vietnam Airlines and Air France Resume Joint Venture Agreement
Vietnam Airlines will resume its cooperation with Air France on routes between the two nations. In 2017, a joint venture agreement was implemented by the two national carriers, but flights were suspended in 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic.
The cooperation between the two airlines will be reinstated from March 26, 2023, strengthening the connection between their respective hubs: Nội Bài (Hanoi), Tân Sơn Nhất (Ho Chi Minh City), and Charles de Gaulle (Paris) – one of the world's largest gateways.
Nguyen Tien Hoang, Head of Vietnam Airlines' branch in France and Europe, stated: “The resumption of the joint venture agreement will provide our customers with more flight options, optimize products and services between France, Europe, and Vietnam, and contribute to the recovery momentum of the aviation industry post-Covid-19. This partnership allows Air France and Vietnam Airlines to solidify their positions in the market sustainably, thereby contributing to the economic, tourism, and cultural development between the two countries and, further, between the two continents.”
Under this agreement, Air France will operate joint venture flights on Vietnam Airlines' Hanoi–Paris route, with six weekly flights from Hanoi on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, under flight number VN019 from Hanoi to Paris and VN018 from Paris to Hanoi on the modern wide-body Airbus A350. Vietnam Airlines will operate joint venture flights on Air France's Ho Chi Minh City–Paris route, with flight number AF258 from Paris to Ho Chi Minh City and AF253 from Ho Chi Minh City to Paris on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
The two airlines also collaborate to provide seamless and convenient services with a range of products catering to diverse passenger needs. As members of the global SkyTeam alliance, passengers of both airlines benefit from services such as SkyPriority, access to private lounges, and frequent flyer programs.
France has been one of Vietnam Airlines' largest and most important markets in Europe since the launch of its first direct flight to Paris in 2003. In 2019, Vietnam Airlines transported around 570,000 passengers annually between Vietnam and France. The resumption of joint venture flights has strengthened the close relationship between Vietnam Airlines and Air France, which have been partners for over 20 years, mainly in aircraft maintenance and personnel training.