Vietnam Airlines has taken delivery of a new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which will initially serve the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route in the country.

The latest delivery has brought Vietnam Airlines’ 787-9 fleet to a total of 11 aircraft.

Vietnam Airlines vice-executive president Le Hong Ha said: "This is an important milestone in affirming the outstanding development of Vietnam’s flag carrier, a representative of the Vietnamese aviation industry, to embrace world’s state-of-the-art technology.

"It is a testament to their commitment to continuous innovation and becoming a leading airline in the region."

“Vietnam Airlines is also proud to have been successfully operating the Dreamliner with a team of nearly 100% of Vietnamese pilots and technicians, and to bring passengers four-star service quality by international standards.”

The airline currently operates its 787-9 fleet on the domestic Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route and six international destinations to London, UK; Frankfurt, Germany; Narita, Japan; Beijing, China; Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Asia-Pacific and India sales senior vice-president Dr Dinesh Keskar said: “With this delivery, Vietnam Airlines now has one of the largest 787 fleets in Asia-Pacific. It is a testament to their commitment to continuous innovation and becoming a leading airline in the region.

“This latest 787-9 to join Vietnam Airlines’ fleet will continue to provide their passengers with an unrivaled on-board experience and the airplane’s efficiency and range capability, will allow them to further expand its network profitably.”

Boeing is also planning to deliver eight 787-10s previously ordered by Vietnam Airlines over the coming years, enabling the airline to realise its fleet renewal and expansion plan.