Vietnam's Bamboo Airways gets license, to start flying before year end

The carrier, the country’s fifth, is allowed to operate 10 aircraft on both domestic and international routes and to carry passengers and cargo on its flights.

It plans to fly on 100 routes, connecting Vietnam's major cities with popular domestic and international tourist destinations.

But initially it is likely to only operate on certain sectors like Hanoi-Quy Nhon and Ho Chi Minh City-Quy Nhon. Quy Nhon is a city on the central coast.

According to Bamboo Airways general director Dang Tat Thang, most of the preparatory works have been completed for the maiden flight to take off before the end of the year.

It needs to obtain an aircraft operator certificate and obtain permission for parking and selling tickets, which are expected to take 30-45 days from the date of license issuance.

Bamboo Airways was founded by Vietnamese private firm FLC in mid-2017 with a charter capital of VND700 billion ($30 million), which it increased to VND1.3 trillion ($55.68 million) recently.

The airline has signed deals to buy 24 Airbus A320neo and 20 Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft worth a total of about $8.6 billion.