Vietnam Airlines ran its inaugural flight on the direct route to Heathrow Airport in London, the UK on March 31.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director of Heathrow JohnHolland-Kaye said Vietnam has become an attractive destination fortourism and business and that the switch from Gatwick airport toHeathrow will secure regular direct flights from the UK to a vitalemerging market.

Head Representative of Vietnam Airlines in theUK Le Thanh Dung highlighted that Vietnam Airlines’ customers now canbenefit from a world-class facility and its premium connection.

Theswitch is expected to help the Vietnamese flagship carrier meet theincreasing demand for flights from foreign countries to Vietnam and theIndochina region, Dung said.

Dung asserted the airlines will workclosely with Heathrow and other partners in the UK airline industry tobridge tourism and trade between the two countries.

Beginning inthe second quarter of 2015, Vietnam Airlines will use its new fleet ofB787 and A350 to operate five to six weekly services from Heathrow toHanoi and HCM City. The carrier has also launched a programme toincrease its service quality and become the major carrier in SoutheastAsia.

Vietnam Airlines carried 90,803 passengers on returnflights between Vietnam and the UK in 2014, a surge from its firstdirect flight to the European country in late 2011.

VietnamAirlines joined the SkyTeam Alliance on June 10, 2010. It is currentlyoperating 96 routes to 21 domestic destinations and 29 internationaldestinations with a capacity of over 300 flights a day.

Heathrow is the busiest airport in Europe and the third busiest airportin the world by total passenger traffic. In 2014, it handled a record73.4 million passengers.

Intense demand at Heathrow prolonged theagreement between the airport and Vietnam Airlines, which took sevenyears to complete. There are currently 30 airlines waiting for slots.-VNA