Vietnam Takes Delivery of Boeing Plane
HANOI, Vietnam - Vietnam Airlines on Sunday took delivery of a Boeing 777-200ER flown in from Seattle, the last of four planes it bought three years ago following a landmark U.S.-Vietnam trade agreement.
The multimillion-dollar aircraft deal - estimated to be worth about $700 million - was the first commercial agreement signed between the two countries after the 2001 trade deal. The United States is now Vietnam's largest trading partner.
"The Boeing purchases played a very important role in pushing forward the U.S-Vietnam trade relationship," said Nguyen Xuan Hien, president and CEO of Vietnam Airlines, the country's national carrier.
Washington state Gov. Gary Locke arrived in Ho Chi Minh City over the weekend, heading up a trade delegation exploring business opportunities in Vietnam.
During a small ceremony marking the Boeing deal at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport, Hien greeted a small delegation from the company's operations in Washington state who had arrived with the plane. Vietnam's national carrier has already agreed to lease two more long-range Boeing 777s this year.
Vietnam Airlines has been steadily expanding its fleet of aircraft to meet growing demand, said Hien. By the end of 2005, Vietnam Airlines will own or lease 40 aircraft in its fleet, which also includes ATR, Fokker, and Airbus aircraft.
Hien said Vietnam Airlines has also signed a letter of intent to purchase Boeing's new 7E7 Dreamliner, which is expected to be rolled out in 2008.
And the world moves on.
JonR
