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Vietjet has registered an aircraft in Australia, in the strongest sign yet that it is planning to launch a domestic subsidiary.
VH-T8A, msn 63879 – owned by Vietjet Aviation – has appeared on the CASA register as of 23 September, with a registered operator based in Melbourne under the name “Cherrie Aviation”. CASA data indicates that the aircraft is a 737 MAX 8 manufactured this year.
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In a statement, a Vietjet spokesperson told Australian Aviation that the airline has “agreed to lease the registered aircraft to an Australian entity”.
“The Australian entity is currently seeking regulatory approval to operate aircraft in Australia,” the spokesperson said.
Speculation has swirled around Vietjet’s possible entry into the Australian domestic market following reports in The Australian Financial Review earlier this year that the Vietnamese low-cost carrier had applied for an air operator’s certificate.
According to anonymous sources cited by the masthead, Vietjet has an eye to operate in Australia with a fleet of 10 aircraft. The carrier had reportedly previously considered buying Bonza after the failed domestic airline collapsed into administration in 2024.
Speaking to Australian Aviation for a recent feature, Steve Leib, associate professor of aviation at CQUniversity, said a tilt by Vietjet would “resolve a lot of the threats to a new entrant establishing themselves and growing”.
“We’re talking about a new entrant with a new AOC. It’s an Australian airline, but it is backed by Vietjet, and perhaps its design is a product of Vietjet’s model,” he said.
“So, essentially you have a new entrant that has the intelligence input of a successful carrier, and in terms of investment, if Vietjet is backing that, then you have that pool of money to sustain the initial operations while you establish yourself.
“I think that model bodes well for this new entrant to actually take hold in the marketplace, so I’m quite excited about what that will look like.”
The news comes as Vietjet expands its international operations in Australia, confirming last month that it would launch services between Western Sydney International Airport and Ho Chi Minh City in January, and between WSI and Bangkok later next year.
“Becoming one of the first airlines to operate at this new airport reinforces Vietjet’s strategy of pioneering the expansion of its international network while strengthening connectivity between Vietnam and Australia,” said Vietjet chief executive Nguyen Thanh Son at the time.
“The new route will further boost tourism, trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges between our two countries, creating more jobs and contributing to local economic growth. It will also provide passengers with more convenient, high-quality, and affordable travel options.”
Two other startup carriers, Koala Airlines and Zinc Airlines, are also planning to begin operating domestically in Australia within the next few years.
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