The low-cost carrier will bring COMAC aircraft back into service to restart key routes to the island of Con Dao, reflecting China’s growing footprint in Southeast Asia’s aviation market.
Vietnam’s Vietjet Air is preparing to resume operations with Chinese-made COMAC aircraft after a one-month pause, a move that underscores both the strategic importance of the Con Dao tourism corridor and the rising regional influence of China’s homegrown aviation manufacturers. The decision comes as Southeast Asian airlines face mounting pressure to expand capacity ahead of year-end travel peaks, while also navigating regulatory hurdles and supply-chain delays from Western aircraft producers.
According to Reuters, Vietjet (HOSE: VJC) is planning to restart flights to Con Dao on November 25, deploying four daily services from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Although internal company documents did not specify the aircraft model, two sources confirmed that Vietjet is set to extend its wet-lease agreement with China’s Chengdu Airlines, bringing COMAC C909 aircraft back into operation. The wet lease will supply two aircraft along with pilots, maintenance, and operational support, mirroring the previous six-month contract that expired in October due to rising costs and regulatory constraints.
Con Dao’s small airport — with a runway of just 1,800 meters — limits airlines to specific short-takeoff aircraft. The COMAC C909, which seats up to 90 passengers and has been in commercial use since 2016, fits those operational requirements. The model is currently in service in China, Indonesia, and Laos, and has attracted new orders from carriers in Cambodia and Brunei.
Vietjet, whose core fleet of more than 100 aircraft is dominated by Airbus jets, has been seeking flexible leasing options as passenger traffic surges ahead of major holidays. The airline had launched direct Con Dao routes in April 2025 but suspended them in mid-October, forcing Northern travelers to transit via Ho Chi Minh City or Can Tho. The resumption will restore direct access to one of Vietnam’s most in-demand island destinations.
The move also reflects a broader regional trend: as Boeing and Airbus face delivery delays, more Asian carriers are testing COMAC aircraft to fill capacity gaps. Whether Vietjet’s renewed reliance on Chinese jets becomes a long-term strategy remains an open question — and one that could reshape competition in Southeast Asia’s rapidly expanding aviation market.
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Source: Vietnam Insider