Melbourne Airport Has A New Airline, Vietjet from Vietnam

Melbourne is experiencing record route/airline news following China’s re-opening.

New announcements continue with Vietnam’s low-cost Vietjet announcing plans to launch Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City services in April.

Beginning with a three times weekly nonstop flight, the expectation is this will become daily by December 2024. Vietjet joins Jetstar, Bamboo Airways and Vietnam Airlines in offering nonstop service from Melbourne to Vietnam.

Before the pandemic, significant reports indicated Vietjet would start at Avalon Airport. A smaller secondary airport located 50 kilometres (31 miles) from Melbourne’s CBD. However, these plans never eventuated, and now the airline will appear at the primary airport.

According to online forums, such as Skyscraper City, until Melbourne Airport’s international terminal fills up Avalon will struggle to attract carriers.

Vietjet will deploy its Airbus A330s on the service, which also features the airline’s premium business cabin.

Melbournians, wider Victorians and travellers should be excited by the announcement. It has been a busy start to the year for the airport.

Multiple airlines have announced the recommencement of services from Chinese destinations to Melbourne. A significant market for the airline. Vietjet now joins the long list of airlines in Asia launching/restarting. There are also other carriers rumoured to restart in Melbourne, which is exciting for the city and airport.

We are thrilled to welcome Vietjet to Melbourne for the first time, and to be part of their plans for expansion in Australia. With its extensive international network, Vietjet can also offer low-cost onward flight options to destinations. including India, Japan and South Korea via Ho Chi Minh City.

Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer, Lorie Argus

Vietnam is a significant market for education in Southeast Asia. It results in more than 41% of Vietnamese international students picking Victoria, Australia, as their study point.

The addition of Vietjet boosts the offerings in getting those students to the city. As well as enabling connectivity for families and more target markets.

As per Executive Traveller, the aircraft will depart Melbourne every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 12:30 am. It will then arrive in Ho Chi Minh City at 5:15 am.

While the aircraft will depart Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:50 am. Arriving in Melbourne at 10:35 pm results in the aircraft spending just shy of two hours on the ground in Melbourne.