VietJet (VJ) has started flying into the European Union. Leveraging the fifth freedom rights, the airline currently connects Hanoi (HAN) in Vietnam with Almaty (ALA) in Kazakhstan and Prague (PRG) in Czech Republic.
Inaugurals flights and route details
Inaugural ceremonies took place at Almaty and Prague airports on Oct. 10, 2026, where the first flights were greeted with water cannon salutes. The airline has deployed its Airbus A330-300 and are scheduled to run twice in a week with flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Vietnamese citizens can enter Kazakhstan visa-free for up to 30 days. The airline said that the service to Almaty could possibly draw leisure travelers within Vietnam.
Vietjet’s European plans and Vietnam’s diplomatic view
H.E. Duong Hoai Nam, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic, said,
“Vietnam and the Czech Republic have a strong foundation of time-tested friendship, and now we need more bridges to carry out that friendship forward. Air connectivity is one of those bridges. I am confident that this new route will contribute to making the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Czechia not only stronger at the governmental level, but also more vibrant among our peoples.”
He thanked the airline for improving links between Vietnam and Europe, with a special interest in the Czech market.
VietJet Chief Executive Officer Nguyen Thanh Son quoted
“The launch of these new routes marks an important milestone in our international network expansion. Vietjet will continue to expand its services to Europe, making travel between Europe, Australia and Asia more convenient. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Vietnam and bringing Vietnamese and international travellers closer to destinations rich in culture, heritage and unique experiences, while supporting the growth of trade and investment.”
Vietjet’s fleet totals 108 aircraft, according to ch-aviation. That includes 99 A320 family narrowbodies, eight A330-300s and one COMAC C909 regional jet that is wet leased in. The airline has 364 aircraft on order to support its expansion.
