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A rendering of VietJet’s under construction MRO facility at Long Thanh International.
Vietnam’s new mega-hub, Long Thanh International Airport near Ho Chi Minh City, is set to open next year in its first phase of development toward an ultimate target of 100 million passengers per year, which, on completion, will make it one of the world’s busiest airports.
In tandem with development of passenger operations, the airport is building maintenance capabilities to support local airlines, with LCC Vietjet recently breaking ground on its own MRO facility there.
Earlier this summer, Vietjet won a government tender to develop part of a comprehensive aircraft maintenance complex at the new airport and has wasted little time in pushing ahead with the $100 million project.
Once completed, the facility will cover two hangars capable of servicing 10 aircraft simultaneously.
By the end of this year, Vietjet is expected to have a fleet of around 100 aircraft, according to Aviation Week Network’s Commercial Fleet & MRO Forecast 2025. These are mostly Airbus A320 family types, although the airline also operates a small number of A330 widebodies.
Vietnam’s wider commercial fleet, meanwhile, comprises 215 aircraft, according to the data, with Vietnam Airlines the other major operator.
The flag carrier also has maintenance aspirations at Long Thanh. Earlier in August, its subsidiary Vietnam Airlines Engineering Company (VAECO), agreed with Korean Air to explore the possibility of launching an MRO joint venture at the airport. Mooted capabilities include fuselage maintenance, component repair, cabin modification, technology transfer and technical training.
Aviation Week forecasts that Vietnamese maintenance demand will rise from roughly $1.2 billion in 2025 to almost $1.8 billion over the next 10 years. Almost three-quarters of total demand over that period will be for Airbus aircraft.
In contrast, maintenance demand in Thailand—another popular tourist destination in the region—is only expected to grow from $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion over the same time frame.
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