Bamboo Airways To Grow Fleet

Bamboo Airways is planning to grow its fleet to 12 units by the end of the year, permitting the operating conditions over the next six months.

The Vietnamese airline was forced to remove its Boeing 787s and thus end long-haul flights in the last quarter of the 2023 calendar year.

Ultimately, removing the 787 raised further concerns about the airline’s long-term place in the industry. To align with the 787’s departure, Bamboo Airways chartered a course that involved restructuring.

The company’s restructuring was deemed essential to ensure it could survive for the long term within the industry.

This new structure, which eliminated the need to operate widebody aircraft, was deemed much more suitable. Furthermore, removing the 787s would allow the airline to focus on domestic routes and international ops across Southeast Asia.

According to the company, these markets had a lot of demand on which they could capitalise.

Following the restructuring period, the airline’s General Director would not want to stop at just 12 units as part of the fleet with a vision to increase this to 18 by the end of 2025.

Despite these ambitions, the airline knows the challenging operating environment, which presents curveballs. As a result, Bamboo Airways will be measured by its future growth.

However, the need to grow remains a huge part of its focus to ensure the company can continue moving positively. Adding new aircraft would allow the airline to optimise its domestic network further and focus on international destinations on a more short-haul basis.

To increase the fleet, Bamboo Airways will likely remain with the A320 family, which has been the focal point of the restructuring. A mix between A320 and A321 aircraft has provided Bamboo with the optimal blend to reach markets that require higher capacity or a more modest aircraft.

A Focus Shift At Bamboo Airways

The focus on growth is a stark switch from the airline’s challenges towards the backend 2023.

Reuters reported in September 2023 that Bamboo Airways struggled to pay pilot wages, resulting in numerous staff departures.

Thirty foreign pilots were said to have left the airline in June 2023, equating to more than 10% of the total airline pilot staff. When the company confirmed the 787s removal, analysts argued that Bamboo would struggle to recover.

However, in mid-2024 and under a more streamlined nature, the company aims to meet the demand across its short-haul network with more aircraft.