Vietnamese low-cost airline Vietjet has received its first aircraft from Boeing, marking a historic moment in US-Vietnam relations.
On Sunday, Boeing delivered a new 737 MAX 8 to Vietjet at a ceremony in Seattle, Washington.
The aircraft is the first of an order of 200 aircraft worth $32bn that Vietjet placed with Boeing in 2016. The airline has traditionally operated a fleet of all-Airbus aircraft.
The handover coincided with the 30th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations between the US and Vietnam, and was accorded full state honours.
Vietnamese President Luong Cuong attended the ceremony, as did US officials and Stephanie Pope, CEO and president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, chairwoman of Vietjet, said the delivery of the first aircraft is the culmination of nearly a decade of partnership between Boeing and Vietjet.
“This milestone strengthens bilateral trade and reflects our shared ambition to reach new heights in aviation,” she said.
“It also delivers real benefits to both economies and creates more jobs for the American people.”
Both companies said they have been assisted by the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signed in 2023, which has helped to drive trade and investment between the two nations.