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An artist's impression of a Vietjet A321neo aircraft Vietjet—controlled by Vietnamese billionaire Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao—has signed orders worth almost $29 billion for the purchase of 100 Airbus A321neo jets and Rolls-Royce engines as the Vietnam’s largest airline accelerates expansion plans amid a travel boom. The fresh order brings to 280 the total A321neo jets Vietjet is buying from Airbus, according to a statement released on Thursday. The airline has an option to order an additional 50 A321neos. “This is not merely a commercial contract, but a symbol of trust, aspiration, and a shared vision for sustainable development and global connectivity,” Thao, founder and chairwoman of Vietjet, said in the statement. The company said the new planes will support its network expansion and fleet modernization plans. While Vietjet and Airbus didn’t disclose the value of the deal, a Bloomberg report estimated the contract to be worth $25 billion, including investments in maintenance facilities. In a separate announcement, Vietjet said it has signed a $3.8 billion deal with Rolls-Royce to purchase 92 Trent 7000 engines and maintenance services for its A330neo widebody fleet. In May, the airline ordered 20 additional A330neo aircraft, bringing its total orders for the model to 40. These aircraft will enable Vietjet to operate non-stop flights to Europe in the future. MORE FOR YOU Vietjet is expanding its fleet amid a post-pandemic travel boom that has bolstered the budget carrier’s earnings. Its pre-tax profit soared 65% to 1.7 trillion dong ($63 million) in the first half. Thao launched the airline in 2011 and quickly drew attention with provocative ads featuring flight attendants in bikinis. VietJet went public in 2017, raising $170 million through an IPO on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange. With an estimated net worth of $4.5 billion according to Forbes’ real-time data, Nguyen is among the wealthiest in Vietnam. Got a tip? Share confidential information with Forbes. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
