The airline’s 377-seat Airbus A330 touched down in Melbourne at 10:35pm last night, providing Victorians with a new, cost-effective way to reach Ho Chi Minh City and beyond.

Vietjet not only operates an extensive short-haul network within south-east Asia, but will also offer connections to India, Japan and South Korea with flights from Melbourne timed to provide convenient connections to onward destinations in the region.

The airline will initially operate three return services each week, departing Melbourne on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 12:30am.

Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Jim Parashos said Vietjet’s arrival would significantly boost seat capacity to Vietnam and increased choice for passengers heading to the region.

“Victorians can’t get enough of visiting Vietnam, it has consistently been one of our top 10 international destinations,” said Mr Parashos.

“Low-cost fares will make the trip even more appealing to leisure and business travellers, and of course people wanting to connect with family and friends at both ends of the route.

“Victoria is home to a large Vietnamese community, with Melbourne’s vibrant and fast-growing migrant population making the city a key inbound market with Melbourne Airport the natural gateway to Australia.

“There are also around 9,500 Vietnamese students enrolled at Victorian institutions making Vietnam one of the state’s largest international student populations.”

 The airline plans to increase to daily operations by December 2024, which represents an annual increase of 136,000 seats on the route.