Vietnam could soon get a new airline that will make flying to the country easier (and possibly cheaper) than it is today.
The still-nascent Bamboo Airways may not have its aviation license yet -- that’s the official government permission it needs to operate -- but Vietnam’s Ministry of Transportation will soon “issue an air transport business license in accordance with the law," reports Reuters.
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The startup airline plans to begin flights within Vietnam later this year -- or possibly in early 2019 -- using Hanoi as a hub, before adding routes to China, Japan, Korea, and eventually the U.S., according to their website.
Bamboo says they’ll serve destinations like coastal Quy Nhon, a 20-hour drive south of Hanoi; Quang Ninh, the province that’s home to gorgeous Halong Bay; and Hai Phong, a city two hours east of Hanoi by car, known for its French Colonial architecture.
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And though flights on Bamboo between the U.S. and Vietnam may still be years away, there's reason for American travelers to get excited about the airline. "As a trip planner, I am most excited about their hub in Quy Nhon," says Nathan Lane, a Vietnam travel specialist for Butterfield & Robinson.
"I’ve often felt this is a fantastic and [under-visited] destination in Vietnam. There are a couple of nice hotels -- and the walking, biking, and beach activities in this town are great.” Lane says he’s often hesitated to send travelers there because it’s a long drive from just about everywhere; being able to jet in will be a game changer for this stretch of the Vietnamese coast, he says.