Bamboo Airways, owned by property developer FLC Group, plans to see its first flight take off on October 10.

Tickets are expected to be available for sale on September 2 along with various promotional programmes, some of which will offer attractive packages for flight tickets with FLC golfing and accommodation services.

The Viet Bamboo Airlines Company was established in 2017 with charter capital of VND700 billion (US$31.4 million).

According to director Dang Tat Thang, the airline would take a different path from its domestic counterparts, elaborating that it would focus on direct services connecting international markets with emerging tourist destinations in Viet Nam, instead of major urban areas where the aviation infrastructure is already overloaded.

Priority will be given to localities where FLC has built major tourist complexes, including Quang Ninh and Hai Phong in the north; Thanh Hoa and Quy Nhon in the central region; and Nha Trang and Phu Quoc in the south, he said.

Bamboo Airlines raised its charter capital to VND1.3 trillion ($56.69 million), which was important for the airline to run a fleet of over 30 aircraft.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the aviation market’s annual growth rate will be 16 per cent from now to 2020, and 8 per cent for 2020-30. Local airlines are expected to serve 64 million passengers by 2020 and 131 million passengers by 2030. — VNS