Vietnam Air To Add More Boeings To Fleet

Boeing and Vietnam Airlines will negotiate the sale of eight more 787-10 Dreamliners and eight 777-8Xs, a move hailed by US and Vietnamese officials as a sign of strengthening trade ties between the two former enemies.

US Deputy Commerce Secretary Bruce Andrews said the Boeing aircraft sales reflected "an important dimension of a growing relationship".

"There is a huge amount of opportunity for American companies in Vietnam," Andrews said before a ceremony marking the signing of a memorandum about expanding business ties and Boeing's delivery of the first 787 to Vietnam Airlines.

Vietnam Airlines Chairman Pham Viet Thanh said a striking video of a near-vertical takeoff by the company's first 787 had been viewed 12 million times on the Internet, and his company looked forward to expanding its business with Boeing.

US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the agreement between Boeing and Vietnam Airlines was "a milestone in our efforts to deepen our ties with Vietnam through bilateral trade."

Foxx cited ongoing efforts to facilitate direct flights between Vietnam and the United States and continued cooperation on aviation safety.

John Wojick, Boeing senior vice president for global sales and marketing, said the agreement signed on Monday still needed work, but could include eight more 787s for Vietnam, in addition to the 19 already on order.

Boeing had also offered Vietnam eight 777-8X aircraft, which the company expects to unveil at the end of the decade, he said.