Vietnam Airlines has flown its first passenger service between Hanoi and Beijing in more than three years. Flights were paused at the start of the pandemic and resumed on March 19th, 2023, when passengers on the inaugural flight were treated to a welcome ceremony upon landing at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK).
The service resumption will facilitate both business travel and tourism in both directions, which is expected to continue to grow following China’s recent decision to begin reissuing tourist visas. Therefore, while Vietnam Airlines does not currently face competition from any other airline on the route, that is unlikely to be the case for long.
Vietnam Airlines will operate three flights per week between Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) and Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), with the frequency due to further increase later this year. Flights will initially operate as per the following schedule:
The carrier’s Airbus A321 aircraft will operate the flights. According to the latest data from ch-aviation.com, Vietnam Airlines currently has a total of 48 Airbus A321s and 20 Airbus A321neos in its fleet, each seating between 178 and 203 passengers, depending on the configuration.
Vietnam Airlines’ return to China
Vietnam Airlines’ long-awaited return to China began back in December 2022, when the carrier operated its first flight to the country since the pandemic, flying from Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) to Guangzhou (CAN). The airline has since resumed services from Hanoi to Guangzhou and from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Shanghai (PVG).
Further expansion in China is on the horizon for Vietnam Airlines, particularly from Da Nang International Airport (DAD), which is located close to the tourist hub of Hoi An and some of the country’s finest beaches. The following services are due to begin soon:
Outside of China, the carrier will also connect Da Nang with Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) from March 26th, on four flights per week.
Staying ahead of the competition
According to the Vietnamese news site VietnamNet, sources have indicated that Vietnam Airlines is planning to increase capacity to China over the coming weeks by deploying its larger Airbus A350 and Boeing 787s on key routes, although this has not yet been reflected in the carrier’s schedule.
Prior to the pandemic, almost 8 million passengers traveled between the two countries each year. Vietnam Airlines is one of the first major carriers from either of the two nations to rebuild its presence in the important market, but as travel restrictions continue to lift, it is surely only a matter of time before other airlines follow suit.
Cre: Simple Flying
