ATR replacement: Vietnam Airlines wants Airbus A220 or Embraer planes

Airbus and Embraer are already feeling their opportunity. In April, a Brazilian aircraft manufacturer sent sharks to Vietnam. The Tech Shark is an E190-E2 with special Ruffian livery that will be sent to Embraer for demonstration flights around the world. Just a month later, Airbus followed suit, sending an A220 to the country with the same intentions.

Both Vietnam Airlines wanted magic. Because the Southeast Asian nation’s national airline will retire its ATR 72 by the end of this year. With them, he currently serves several shorter or less common routes. There are currently seven helicopters, according to a database CH Aviation Still in the fleet.

More Range, More Seats

As announced by Managing Director Lu Hong Ha at a conference in Da Nang, the turboprops will be followed by aircraft. Vietnam Airlines is testing Airbus A220, Embraer E190 and E195-E2, business newspaper writes Vietnamese. Both aircraft are faster, quieter, have longer range and about 50 percent more seating than the ATR72.

Air traffic in Vietnam is growing — and many of the country’s smaller airports are expanding and shifting, making them more accessible to regional planes. The country is among the seven fastest growing aviation markets in the world. According to Le Hong Ha, Vietnam Airlines intends to make a decision on the regional fleet by the end of 2023.

Vietnam Airlines fleet is getting younger again

In total, Vietnam Airlines has a fleet of just over 100 aircraft. The average age is 6.6 years. It will drop significantly again when ATRs, which are over twelve years old, are no longer part of it.