Vietnam Airlines, the national flag carrier, has launched its air service from Hanoi to Melbourne with two weekly flights on Thursdays and Sundays.

Delegates attend the opening ceremony of the event. Photo: VNA

The new route is expected to play an important role in promoting tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Australia, thus further strengthening bilateral ties.

The inaugural flight departed Hanoi on June 15, arriving at Melbourne Airport after a nine-hour flight. The return flight took off from Melbourne at 3 pm (local time) on the same day and landed in Hanoi at 9:35 pm (Vietnam time).

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency, Mr. Tran Le Phuong, Deputy Ambassador of Vietnam to Australia, expressed his delight at launching the new route, which he described as a significant event this year, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Australia.

He noted that with growing bilateral ties between the two countries, travel demand has increased, especially to Melbourne, an important economic and commercial hub in Australia and home to a large Vietnamese community.

Nguyen Huu Tung, Chief Representative of Vietnam Airlines in Australia, emphasized that the new route aims to facilitate European travel for Australian passengers by reducing transfer times.

Vietnam Airlines plans to increase the frequency of flights from Hanoi to Melbourne to three times a week by November 2023 and is also exploring the possibility of opening new direct routes to Perth and Darwin in Western and Northern Australia, respectively, as well as a route from Ho Chi Minh City to Brisbane in the state of Queensland.

With the new direct route, Vietnam Airlines will consolidate its position with the most extensive direct flight coverage and frequency between Vietnam and Australia. It operates four direct routes from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney and Melbourne, with a total frequency of up to 18 flights per week.