Vietjet to Launch First Service to Japan on KIX-Hanoi Route

31 May 2018

Kansai Airports is delighted to announce that the new-age carrier - Vietjet, the leading airline in Vietnam, is launching flights to Kansai International Airport (KIX). This will be the first Vietjet’s service to Japan, and the airline will operate seven flights a week between KIX and Hanoi from Thursday, November 8, 2018.

Based in Hanoi, Vietnam, Vietjet has been rapidly expanding its network both domestically and internationally. The decision to launch this new service was driven by the increasing demand for air travel between Japan and Vietnam. The number of Japanese visiting Vietnam has been increasing in recent years, hitting a record high of 798,0001 in 2017, reaching almost 800,000.

Vietnam has been experiencing a remarkable economic growth, and business travelers to Vietnam are increasing. The country is also popular among tourists as it is a home to a number of world heritage sites such as Ha Long Bay and the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long in Hanoi.

The number of Vietnamese coming to Japan is also growing rapidly, reaching 300,000 visitors2 in 2017, up 32.1% from the previous year.

Vietjet will be the third airline to operate flights between KIX and Hanoi after Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific Airlines. With the launch of the carrier’s flights, the number of weekly flights on the route will increase from 113 to 18, adding up to a total of 29 flights served from KIX to Vietnam weekly (18 flights to Hanoi, 7 flights to Ho Chi Minh, 4 flights to Da Nang). The new flight service will make access to increasingly popular Southeast Asia more convenient.

Kansai Airports will continue expanding a network of airlines to create a comfortable and
enjoyable travel experience for airport users.