The airline has been given authorization to operate Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft between major airports in Vietnam such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with all international airports in the U.S., including airports in Los Angeles or San Francisco, cities that Bamboo has said its considering for weekly flights.

 

The FACP also opens up opportunities Bamboo Airways to codeshare flights with other U.S. airlines, something that is common place in the airline industry that allows airlines to build their brands and build business through cooperative flights and scheduling.

 

Nguyen Ngoc Trong, Deputy General Director of Bamboo Airways, said that receiving the FCAP is an important milestone for the airline and that after the US DOT issues the FCAP that the next steps will be the implementation of licensing procedures that are required by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the US Transportation Security Organisation (TSA) and other U.S. authorities.

 

Nguyen said that in parallel with the licensing procedures, Bamboo Airways is in the process of preparing equipment and facilities to meet U.S. operating standards. At the same time the airline is training pilots and flight attendants with an eye to beginning flights at the end of 2020 or in early 2021, depending upon conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

 

Nguyen added that all employees that will be involved in the U.S. flights are being trained on requirements and regulations related to safety and security, legal conditions, federal and state laws and other situations that will be related to upcoming flights.

 

Aviation experts say that post-COVID-19 recovery will see 700,000 ~ 800,000 people flying between Vietnam and the U.S. each year and that Bamboo can run a profitable business by serving 60,000+ passengers per year.