Vietnam’s private airlines face major disadvantages compared to state-owned carriers, limiting their ability to compete and grow, according to Luong Hoai Nam, CEO of Bamboo Airways, and reported by Tap Chi Hang Khong→view source.
Nam noted private airlines lack access to airport land, preventing them from building integrated ecosystems, while state-owned airlines have full facilities and land allocations.
Other key details:
- Regulatory barriers: Nam criticised proposals requiring airlines to plan routes in line with future infrastructure, calling it unrealistic and likely to result in restrictive quotas.
- Financial discrimination: Nguyen Si Dung (Policy Advisory Council) highlighted that private airlines struggle to access credit and face more restrictive tax and fee policies, unlike state-owned airlines.
- Operational fairness: Dung called for equal treatment in terminal use, ground services, and infrastructure allocation to ensure a level playing field.
- Need for transparency: Dung stressed the importance of transparent bidding, equal land allocation, and public disclosure of operational results to support fair policy and competition.
- Reform urgency: Both Nam and Dung urged institutional reforms to remove procedural barriers, improve policy consistency, and align with Vietnam’s stated support for private sector growth.
This speaks to the challenge the government faces in building Vietnam’s private sector while state-owned enterprises continue to enjoy structural advantages and preferential treatment.