Twenty two airports in Vietnam have the capacity equal to one airport in Thailand or Singapore. The overloaded infrastructure is affecting the aviation and tourism industries.

The airlines are focusing on developing fleets with narrow-body aircraft to increase efficiency in the context of fierce competition.

Vietnam’s airlines have been buying more aircraft, expanding fleets and opening new air routes in recent years at a rapid pace.

VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Transport, which is drafting amendments for Decrees 92 and 30 on air transport, is contemplating a five-year extension to the maximum life expectancy of aircraft used by airlines in Vietnam.

By December 2017, Vietnam’s airlines had been operating over 160 airplanes of different kinds. The biggest fleet belongs to Vietnam Airlines with 86 aircraft, while Vietjet has 49 and Jetstar Pacific 19, according to Planespotter.

VietNamNet Bridge - Reports by Vietnamese and international institutions have all pointed out that Vietnam’s logistics industry is weak in competitiveness. 

VietNamNet Bridge - The national flag air carrier’s plan to sell and lease back three A350s was approved in late 2015, before the aircraft arrive, slated for 2016 and 2017. This aims to step by step cut government-guaranteed loans.

VietNamNet Bridge - Since Vietnamese shipping firms have not made appropriate investments to develop container fleets, they have had to concede the container transport market to foreigners.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Foreign shipping agents are preferred over Vietnamese agents and the country’s fleet of 1,700 vessels, a report from the Vietnam Maritime Bureau (Vinamarine) shows.

VietNamNet Bridge – While its rival from Europe, Airbus, has obtained large orders from Vietnamese air carriers, Boeing’s market share in Vietnam remains modest. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – The private air carrier Air Mekong may return to the market in 2015.

VietNamNet Bridge – It’s still very difficult to develop the infrastructure system for the aviation industry, because Vietnam still cannot attract non-state investment sources.

Analysts now bet on the fate of Air Mekong after hearing that the private airline cannot pay for fuel. Pacific Airlines still has reported a loss for the last five consecutive years of operation.

The Ministry of Transport has decided that from January 1, 2013, Vietnam will not renew the container transport licenses and will not grant new licenses to the ships which do not bear Vietnamese flags.