Socialist Republic of Vietnam

(12/10/2003 -- 17:33GMT+7)

Ha Noi, Dec. 10 (VNA) - Vietnamese Airlines will open its first non-stop air link with the United States, offering at least seven flights a week, by late 2005, an airline official said on Tuesday.

Pham Ngoc Minh, Vietnam Airlines Deputy General Director in charge of trade, who was a member of the Government delegation to the US for the signing of the Viet Nam-US Air Transport Agreement, said before service begins, the national flag carrier must finish numerous procedures, including trademark registration, and aircraft fleet and financial source preparations. In order to ensure seven flights a week, three new planes must be put into operation because Vietnam Airlines' existing fleet of aircraft can meet the current demand only.

Under the agreement, Viet Nam will allow US airlines to use three international airports in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang while it will fly to five international airports in the US. San Francisco may be the first destination Vietnam Airlines chooses for its first non-stop flight in 2005, Minh said.

The number of travellers to Viet Nam from the West Coast, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, accounts for 60 percent of the total US arrivals.

Last year, Viet Nam welcomed nearly 280,000 travellers from the US, of which overseas Vietnamese made up 75 percent. If the two countries' airlines launch their Viet Nam-US service soon, the average number of US travellers to Viet Nam will rise 12-15 percent annually from 6-7 percent at present, he said.

Numerous overseas Vietnamese said they would prefer to fly home with Vietnam Airlines.

However, according to Minh, Vietnam Airlines will face fierce competition from not only US airlines but also those from Japan, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan.