Bamboo Airways licensed to fly directly to the US
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Bamboo Airways has received a permit from the U.S. Department of Transportation to carry passengers and cargo to that country.
It has been allowed to use the wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to fly directly from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to places like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Bamboo Airways is the second airline to get permission after Vietnam Airlines.
It is set to begin direct service to the U.S. at the end of 2021 or early 2022, and will next seek licenses from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Transportation Security Administration and other relevant agencies in the U.S.
The FAA granted a Category 1 rating to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam under its International Aviation Safety Assessment program last February, which meant the latter met safety standards to operate flights to the U.S.
There are currently no non-stop routes between the two countries, and passengers have to transit through East Asia, taking 18-21 hours in all. A direct flight would bring the travel time down to 14-16 hours.
Americans are among the top foreign visitors to Vietnam, with 687,226 arrivals last year, while an ethnic Vietnamese population of over 2.1 million in the U.S. is also expected to be a steady source of travel demand.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific aircraft will Bamboo Airways use for its direct flights to the US?
Which specific aircraft will Bamboo Airways use for its direct flights to the US?
Bamboo Airways has been permitted to use the wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for its direct services to the U.S. These flights will operate from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Q.What further steps does Bamboo Airways need to take before starting direct flights to the US?
What further steps does Bamboo Airways need to take before starting direct flights to the US?
After receiving the permit from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Bamboo Airways must now seek licenses from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Transportation Security Administration, and other relevant U.S. Agencies.
Q.How much shorter will direct flights make the journey between Vietnam and the US?
How much shorter will direct flights make the journey between Vietnam and the US?
Currently, passengers transit through East Asia, taking 18-21 hours in total. A direct flight would significantly reduce this travel time to between 14 and 16 hours.
Q.Which other Vietnamese airline has already received permission to fly directly to the US?
Which other Vietnamese airline has already received permission to fly directly to the US?
Bamboo Airways is the second airline to gain permission for direct flights to the U.S. The article states that Vietnam Airlines was the first to receive this approval.
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