The private carrier received its aviation license from the Transport Ministry early last month, making it Vietnam’s fifth airline. However, it is still awaiting an air operator’s certificate, without which it will remain grounded, and other permissions for parking and selling tickets.

It is also leasing an Airbus A320 from the same Irish company, and the airplane is expected to arrive later this month or early next month.

Bamboo Airways targets owning a fleet of 20 aircraft this year and adding 20-30 planes next year to ensure its services run smoothly.

Further, it has struck deals to purchase 24 Airbus A320neo narrow-body jets from European plane maker Airbus and 20 wide-body Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner from American corporation Boeing at a combined cost of US$8.8 billion. The planes will be delivered from 2020.

The carrier plans to fly some 100 air routes, linking Vietnam’s major cities, such as Hanoi and HCMC, with popular tourist destinations at home and abroad, including the central coastal city of Quy Nhon in Binh Dinh Province and Dong Hoi, the capital city of Quang Binh Province on the north central coast of Vietnam.