The carrier said in a document sent to airport operator, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), that it aims to launch its first flight to Con Dao Airport on April 15.
Hence, it requested that ACV make the necessary service arrangements and facilitate the signing of a ground services agreement for the COMAC jet.
An ACV executive told VnExpress on Friday that the corporation has received the proposal and supports the plan.
“ACV is carrying out the required procedures and waiting for Vietjet to provide more information about the new aircraft so we can include it in the approval documents,” he said.
However, he noted that it is unlikely the airline will be able to launch the service by next Tuesday as planned, since several procedures still need to be finalized.
As of Friday, Vietjet had not begun selling tickets for the route.
The executive added that Vietjet’s new route would offer more convenient travel options from Hanoi and HCMC to Con Dao, particularly during holidays and peak travel seasons.
Since carrier Bamboo Airways suspended services to Con Dao last year, passengers from northern Vietnam traveling to the islands have had to transit via Tan Son Nhat or Can Tho airports in the south on flights operated by Vietnam Airlines or its subsidiary, Vasco.
Last December, Vietjet informed the Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Transport (now merged with the Ministry of Construction) of its plan to wet lease two COMAC ARJ21 (C909) from Chengdu Airlines to operate flights to Con Dao. A wet lease includes both the aircraft and crew.
In 2016, Chengdu Airlines was the first carrier to receive and commercially operate the ARJ21, the first regional jet independently developed and manufactured by Chinese planemaker COMAC.
The firm delivered its first ARJ21 aircraft to its first international customer, based in Indonesia, in 2022.
The model has logged 194,000 flight hours with over 135,000 takeoffs and landings by the end of last year.
It has a flight range of 2,225-3,700 kilometers and offers 78-97 seats.
It is similar in size to models currently operating at the airport in Con Dao, which has a short runway that can currently only accommodate this type of aircraft.
On the sidelines of an aircraft exhibition in Vietnam last March, COMAC performed a round-trip HCMC-Con Dao flight with 60 passengers using the ARJ21.
Last month, the aviation authority suggested that the construction ministry amend certain regulations to import and put COMAC planes to use in Vietnam.
This could help Vietnamese airlines address the ongoing aircraft shortage and create new opportunities for growth in the domestic aviation sector, it said.
Situated around 230 kilometers (143 miles) southeast of HCMC, the 16-island Con Dao Archipelago used to be known for its large prison first established by the French and later used by the Americans during the Vietnam War.
Today, Con Dao has made its mark on the global tourism map for its white sandy beaches and crystal-clear blue waters.
