While some European Airlines have been cutting their Vietnam service, Vietnam Airlines, as part of its effort to expand its international presence, has announced 2 new routes to Tokyo. 

According to Thanh Nien, the Hanoi-Haneda flights will begin on July 1 (7 flights per week) with Da Nang-Narita service starting on July 16 (4 flights per week), adding to the airline’s growing network of destinations:

“The additional flights will increase Vietnam Airlines’ direct routes between Vietnam’s three major cities – Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang – and four Japanese cities – Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Nagoya – to 10, and the amount of weekly flights to 62.

Its operation network will also be expanded to cover 29 international destinations with 55 routes, and 21 local destinations with 40 routes,” wrote the paper.

The national carrier, which pulled in $25 million in gross profits in 2013, has been expanding service ahead of its IPO that is expected to be approved later this year.

Last May, the airline took out US$200 million in loans to pay for 4 Airbus A321s and 8 Boeing 787s, with the former being pressed into service on these new routes.

The airline’s deputy director general, Trinh Ngoc Thanh, said that beyond meeting demand for business people, the additional flights will make it easier for Japanese tourists to access central Vietnam.

Local tourists are also more likely to travel these routes to Godzilla's homeland if the country decides to loosen visa restrictions for Vietnamese nationals.

[Thanh Nien // Photo via Khanh Hmoong]