The deal was signed within the framework of the Vietnam-Australia business forum in Sydney, in the presence of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and several senior officials from the Australian Government.
The Vietnamese PM also witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between Vietjet and Investec worth over US$600 million.
PM Phuc said that the launch of the direct air route will contribute to promoting trade and investment between the two countries, particularly in the context of their ties being upgraded to a strategic partnership and the participation of both countries in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
The Ho Chi Minh City - Brisbane route will be the first direct air route between the two cities and is expected to begin operation in 2019.
According to Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Brisbane Airport Corporation Julieanne Alroe, the frequency of travel between Queensland and Vietnam has increased by an average of 8% per year in the past five years, with many new services having been launched. Therefore, the selection of Brisbane in Queensland as the first destination in Australia to open the air route is completely reasonable as Ho Chi Minh City is one of the five largest markets of Brisbane and there wasn’t a direct air route between the two cities.
"We hope that Vietjet will soon launch its flights to Brisbane Airport, thereby further tightening relations between Queensland and Vietnam," said Julieanne Alroe.
