New carrier Bamboo Airways on September 5 proposed the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) issue registration numbers for three leased aircraft which news reports said have been in use for 11 years.


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Bamboo Airways prepares for its maiden flight.



According to the proposal, the carrier is in negotiation with the aircraft-leasing company, WWTAI AirOpCo II DAC, to rent a fleet of two A320 and one A319 aircraft to serve its upcoming maiden flight, which is scheduled for November 10, while awaiting the issuance of an air transport business license and Aircraft Operator Certificate (AOC).

The two parties had signed a Memorandum of Understanding involving the lease, and negotiations are expected to conclude this month, following which an official contract will be submitted to CAAV for approval. One A319 and one A320 aircraft will be handed over to the carrier in November, while the other A320 will enter the country in January next year.

Earlier, the carrier had submitted applications to CAAV to seek registration numbers for another fleet of three aircraft rented by Hong-Kong-based lessor CDB Aviation Lease Finance.

Local news website Zing.vn cited data from Air Fleets as showing that the A319 MSN 2568, which will join Bamboo Airways’ fleet, currently belongs to Singapore-based Silk Air and was put into service 13 years ago. Meanwhile, the two A320s have served Turkish Airlines for 12 years.

According to prevailing regulations on requirements for air transport businesses, these aircraft are eligible for lease, even though they still have seven to 11 years of operations remaining.

Some experts commented that the carrier may not begin its maiden flight as scheduled as it has yet to receive its air transport business license and AOC, adding that the leased aircraft are likely to be available only in November.

However, Dang Tat Thang, CEO of Bamboo Airways, told VnExpress on September 6 that the carrier had proposed obtaining approvals for the three aircraft on a dry-lease basis (excluding cabin crew), while it also plans to get a wet lease for more aircraft that will be used for its maiden flight, as planned.

SGT