ROUTES - Thai VietJet Air will begin B737-8 flights from 26 January 2026, on international routes, including Japan, Vietnam and Macau from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Chiang Mai.

Photo: Thai Vietjet / Aviator
 

FLEET - Thai VietJetAir takes first B737-8

Thai VietJetAir (VZ, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) took delivery of its first B737-8, two months after the initial publicity "handover" ceremony, and will induct it into revenue service by the end of 2025.

HS-VZA (msn 63900) was ferried from Seattle Boeing Field via Anchorage Ted Stevens and Sapporo Chitose to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi on November 21-22, 2025. The low-cost carrier said that the aircraft would be initially deployed on a domestic route from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to Chiang Mai, and an international service to Nha Trang Cam Ranh by the end of 2025. In early 2026, Thai VietJetAir plans to debut the type on services to Japan, South Korea, and China.

The aircraft is the first of fifty B737-8s due for delivery to Thai VietJetAir by 2028.

The Thai LCC currently operates twelve A320-200s and six A321-200s. It will eventually transition to an all-MAX fleet, a move it said was "aimed at enhancing [the airline's] operational efficiency and supporting its sustainable growth as an international aviation group."
VietJetAir has a total order for 100 B737-8s and another 100 B737-8-200s. The airline also plans to take 176 A321-200NX, nineteen A321-200NY(XLR)s, and forty A330-900Ns. The current fleet on the Vietnamese AOC comprises sixteen A320-200s, thirty-six A321-200s, eleven A321-200Ns, twenty-six A321-200NX, and eight A330-300s.

CH Aviation / Photos: Thai VietJet

 

ORDER / FLEET - Thai VietJetAir to add first nine B737-8s by YE25

Thai VietJetAir (VZ, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) will receive nine B737-8s in the last quarter of this year, chief executive Woranate Laprabang told the Bangkok Post. The low-cost carrier has commitments for up to 50 of the type, which will replace its A320-200 and A321-200 aircraft over the next five years.

The first B737-8 is due in October, followed by four in November and another four in December, the Thai newspaper reported. The airline expects to end 2025 with a fleet of 23 aircraft.

In May, VietJetAir (VJ, Hanoi Noi Bai International) transferred 50 of its 200 B737-8 orders from Boeing to its associate company, Thai VietJetAir, in a bid to modernise its fleet.

The additional aircraft will support new routes in the fourth quarter of 2025, including planned flights from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to Seoul Incheon, Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad. Services to Hong Kong International, Nagoya Chubu, and Perth International are on the radar for 2026.

According to its chief executive, Thai VietJetAir has already returned four Airbus aircraft this year. ch-aviation fleets data shows that A320-200s HS-VKF (msn 4475), HS-VKP (msn 5742), HS-VKQ (msn 5822), and HS-VKT (msn 5879) have gradually been withdrawn and ferried to Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta for storage since June.

Thai VietJetAir currently operates a fleet of twelve A320-200s, including the four retired, and six A321-200s, which operate over 600 weekly flights.

Macquarie AirFinance orders more MAXs
Australian lessor Macquarie AirFinance has revealed that it has placed an additional order for the Boeing B737-8. The order, which was booked by Boeing as "undisclosed" in July 2025 is for another 30 aircraft.
With this latest commitment, Macquarie AirFinance now has placed firm orders with Boeing for 70 B737-8s. All of these should be delivered and placed with customers by end 2032.
Illustration by Boeing.

CH Aviation

 

Thai VietJetAir starts Thailand-Vietnam scheduled flights

Thai VietJetAir (VZ, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) has commenced scheduled operations following a near three-year delay Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh, the vice-president of VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company, has said.

Speaking to The Bangkok Post, Binh said the carrier was looking to issue an official statement in the coming two months with own regular flights to begin shortly after. In the meantime, Thai VietJetAir has assumed its parent VietJetAir's Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City routes before expanding to Da Nang, Dalat, and Haiphong later this year. No plans for domestic Thai services have yet been revealed.




Though operational for over a year, Thai VietJetAir has only carried out charter flights between Thailand and Vietnam for and on behalf of tour operators. It currently has a pair of A320-200s on its books.


Just prior to their original planned launch of regular services in March last year, former majority shareholder and Thai national, Somphong Sooksanguan, moved to divest both himself and Kan Air (K8, Chiang Mai) parent, Kannithi Aviation, of their combined 51% stake in the carrier. Somphong blamed his exit on differences in managerial style with that of 49% shareholder, VietJetAir (VJ, Hanoi).

ch aviation

Thai VietJetAir commences operations with India charters

Thai VietJetAir began operations on Friday, December 5, with a flight from Bangkok Don Mueang to Gaya in India.

 The charter flights, which cater to Buddhist faithful and clergy, will operate on a weekly basis beginning in January. Flights are on-board the budget carrier's sole aircraft, an A320-200 HS-VKA (cn 2745) leased from parent VietJetAir.

Thai VietJetAir takes delivery of first aircraft

Thai VietJetAir has taken delivery of its first aircraft, HS-VKA (cn 2745).
The A320-200 was sourced from Vietnamese parent, VietJetAir, and arrived at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi on October 16.

Thai VietJetAir eyes September launch date

Thai VietJetAir is on track to secure its Air Operators Certificate and other necessary permissions ahead of a planned September launch. A joint venture between Kan Air  parent, Kannithi Aviation, and Vietnam's VietJetAir, the start-up will likely make its début with Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to Phuket and Chiang Maiflights using an initial fleet of two A320s.

"The political situation in our country has been improving and thus given us much more confidence to start commercial service in early September," Thai VietJet founder Somphong Sooksanguan told the Bangkok Post.

The LCC is expected to give competition to AirAsia subsidiary, Thai AirAsia, and Nok Air.

VietJetAir, Kannithi Aviation partner to form Thai VietJetAir

VietJetAir and its Thai partner, Kannithi Aviation, have signed a cooperation agreement establishing Thai VietJetAir

Somphong Sooksanguan, president of Kannithi Aviation, told the Bangkok Times. In line with Thai foreign investment laws, Thai VietJet Air is 51% owned by Kan Air parent, Kannithi Aviation, with the Vietnamese holding the remaining 49%. Headed by Florian Preuss, the start-up has begun the process of acquiring an Air Operators Certificate from Thailand's Civil Aviation Department and has also been able to secure traffic slots out of its proposed Bangkok Suvarnabhumi hub. According to Mr Somphong, previous plans to operate out of Bangkok Don Mueang were abandoned due to the already heavy presence of LCCs there.

As with parent VietJet Air, Thai VietJet Air will launch with two A320-200s serving both domestic and regional destinations.