Vietnam Airlines: Direct flights from Perth to Ho Chi Minh City available to West Australians in December

West Australians will be able to fly non-stop from Perth to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam from December, marking the 15th direct international route to WA since the removal of pandemic-era border restrictions. Vietnam Airlines will operate the service, which will fly between Perth and Vietnam’s most populous city three times a week. Tickets are now on sale, with the first flight leaving Vietnam on December 7 and departing from Perth on December 8. The flying time is around 6.5 hours. Premier Roger Cook – who visited Vietnam when still Tourism Minister earlier this year – said the new route would open “an abundance of opportunities”. “Direct aviation links like these benefit our State, producers and businesses as they present additional avenues to expand trade opportunities for fresh produce exports and other goods to be efficiently transported,” he said. “We have a growing Western Australian-Vietnamese community in our State, which has contributed to our social, economic and cultural development and this announcement will provide better direct connections for the community whether it be for leisure, business or studying opportunities.” Mr Cook’s trade mission to Vietnam in March included meetings with Vietnam Airlines that laid the groundwork for the new route. He also used the visit to officially open a new Invest and Trade WA office in Ho Chi Minh City. Rival airline Vietjet announced its intention to operate flights between WA and Ho Chi Minh City earlier this month but no agreement has been reached with Perth Airport. Since WA’s was permanently removed in early 2022, the Cook Government has announced new non-stop flights to Auckland, Jakarta, Rome and Tokyo. Other pre-existing services – such as London to Perth – have also resumed. Vietnam Airlines will operate a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the Ho Chi Minh City route, with the aircraft boasting 274 total seats. Inbound visitation from Vietnam is relatively modest – around 10,000 visitors in the year to March – but Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said the new route would drastically boost capacity. “With flights starting in December, just in time for the peak summer season, I’m sure this route will be very popular, and helps affirm our status as the western gateway to Australia,” she said. “We have a big Vietnamese community here in Western Australia with almost 20,000 born in Vietnam and more than 330,000 with Vietnamese heritage, so having these direct flights will make it easier than ever for family and friends to visit and spend time with loved ones.” Perth Airport acting chief executive Kate Holsgrove said the direct flight would allow WA to tap into another of Asia’s burgeoning tourism and international education markets. “For Western Australians, Vietnam is an exciting destination where history, culture and culinary delights come together,” she said. “Holiday-makers will be able to explore popular cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang and many more as well as UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Ha Long Bay.” Vietnam is WA’s 14th largest trading partner, with total trade of $2.4 billion last financial year. The nation also supplies around 3 per cent of the State’s international student enrolments.