Bamboo Airways banks on Con Dao Island flights

The airline is waiting for Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) approval to fly to the 16-island archipelago, according to a company spokesperson.

It plans to operate flights from the northern and central region using four twin-engine Embraer jets holding up to 120 seats.

Currently, Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO), a subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, is the only airline operating regular flights to the islands from Ho Chi Minh City and the southern city of Can Tho using the ATR 72 short-haul aircraft that could carry up to 78 passengers.

Con Dao Airport has a 3C classification, meaning it can only receive ATR 72 aircraft or equivalent. It functions for 12 hours a day and closes at night since it has no runway lighting system.

Property developer FLC, the parent company of Bamboo Airways, earlier proposed to invest in a lighting system so the airport could operate at night.

A 4C upgrade is planned for the airport by 2030 so that it could receive Airbus A319 jets carrying up to 156 passengers.

Budget airline Vietjet had made a similar request in 2018 to operate flights to Con Dao with the same aircraft model but is still awaiting approval.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province received 15.5 million tourists in 2019, up 15.2 percent year-on-year. A total of 500,000 were foreigners.