Things sure aren’t looking good for Bamboo Airways, Vietnam’s new(ish) airline that was growing at a very fast pace until recently. A couple of days ago I wrote about how the airline canceled all of its long haul flights. The airline has now announced information about its restructuring, so let’s go over all the details.
Continue reading: Bamboo Airways Ends Long Haul Flights, Dumps 787s
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
It's amazing that someone(s) with the amount of money to invest that it took start this airline, looked at the business plan and said "I want in on that!", but a fool and his money, etc.
As the saying goes, the easiest way to go from Billionaire to Millionaire is to start an airlines. That’s exactly what the chairman did, on top of that he got arrested for security fraud, insider trading. That’s the end of Bamboo.
Sadly Bamboo’s demise was predicted when their owner was arrested over market manipulation - they are not in favor of Vietnamese government.
I've seen Vietjet offer $5-7 fares, which I don't think Bamboo Airways could've ever competed with...
I can see several airlines foaming at the mouth for not only these planes, but their Pilots....
They actually formally applied for a nonstop to LAX (when VN announced SFO).
I'd have been shocked had it come to fruition, but it was funny to see.
Bamboo is done.
They were not viable to begin with and having such an ambitious plan was unrealistic from the start.
They aren’t the first. They won’t be the last.
I just flew Bamboo from Saigon to HaiPhong on Oct 13 and you are correct they are a mess. Their website put our names in the wrong order and we had to get out of the long line to go to another counter to correct. With reps staring at a screen for 10 minutes. We get back in line to have to pay for overweight luggage (which we expected) to only have to get out of line again! And go back to the same second counter to pay! Like what? Over 1 hour and officially the longest crazy check in I have ever had. And never again. I flew Vietnam airlines Oct 16 and it was exactly the opposite experience.
Taking on London and Frankfurt against VN was crazy. There's a lot of traffic between Viet Nam and Australia, but Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar, and Viet Jet all operate out of Melbourne and Sydney to HCMC and/or Hanoi.
Oh well, I'm sure the 789s will find new homes in short order.
I booked an Aeroplan redemption for MEL-SGN-HND involving Bamboo and ANA a little over 6 months ago, flying on Nov 2. If they’ve zero’d out availability, does that mean that my MEL-SGN flight may be scrapped?
Yep. Once he got arrested, the parent company, FLC Corporation is going downhill ever since.
Ah yes. Perfect 'new' planes for us here at 5starhansa.
We love to take on used equipment from third world countries for our great Lufthansa airline, which then ends up having a lot better seats than the great Lufthansa has on their natively equipped one.
I’m looking forward to flying their business class when it becomes yet another Lufthansa business class product.
Most likely, sorry.
I would contact Aeroplan or better yet, wait for the official announcement, then they will switch you to another carrier for the same exact point.
Hoping they make it through the end of the month. We're booked to fly an intra-Vietnam flight with them!
I called the hotline today, apparently they have cancelled all flights between Sydney and Vietnam and between Frankfurt and Vietnam between Nov 4 and 31 Dec 2023. They wouldn't say if there will be flights in January. I assume there won't be.
I’m flying with them after xmas MEL > SGN. Surely there is enough business from Australia to not scrap this route. Perhaps London would be the first to go?
check your itenerary, the same route on my AC award booking earlier in December has just been removed
That’s very sad to hear where job losses are concerned. Someone clearly didn’t do their due diligence before starting up this airline. I flew LGW-HAN and really enjoyed the flight. It was similar to SQ in food and seat etc. The crew didn’t speak much English but I was eternally grateful to be flying in J for a 13 hour flight.
Having joined the 787 at the fleet introduction and quickly left as ... they never paid us, this fleet reduction only shows how corrupt from the CAAV to the medical centers and untrustworthy airlines in Vietnam are.
Feeling sorry for my colleagues still with the airline and the passengers affected by those changes.
Guess all former employees will definitely sit on the money owed by those crooks.
I've got friends flying in December... they've just received an email saying that the last SGN-MEL-SGN is on 1/11 (aka the last MEL-SGN then is on 2/11 as the plane has to go back)
Here's hoping they can get a successful refund of their return leg in December
Unfortunately, Bamboo cancelled all 15 tickets of my family’s flights at the end of this year, and we still have not heard anything regarding reimbursements.
You should definitely try to get the data you need to make an informed decision. Most people would call the airline. You asked here. My suggestion is keep posting on Internet forums until it works!
That is devastating to hear… I am looking at Vietnam Airlines, VietJet and Jetstar at the moment. Nothing under AU$2k. Not sure where else I can find cheap direct flights.
I was actually amazed that they survived the Covid restrictions at all. Shall be closedvimmediately after. It was probably a bit of money loundering from the very beginning.
Rifty6210, it takes ALOT more than a couple of nearly full routes to support an entire fleet of long haul planes. So many factors. I don't think You'll find "cheap flights" anytime soon, as the airlines left in those markets will attempt to recover some of the loses they have been taking to compete with an airline that was clearly not viable in the first place. This isn't price gouging, it's the actual cost of flying between 2 city pairs, while when there were numerous operators, they were willing to take a loss to keep the customers.
Ehud Gavron, I totally agree. I di Luke learning information on blogs and forums myself. That being said, if I was "affected" by something, I would CALL THE AIRLINE MYSELF instead of asking randos in the comment section about my plight. Silly how some behave and expect answers to things these days.
travelling MEL to HAN arriving at 10pm. they served breakfast at 8.30pm. the menu for dinner looked great but wasn't loaded in MEL.
They don't exist really, only on promo from Vietjet for new routes.
Not sure your origin but head to SIN or BKK instead then pop over, likely cheaper.
Our return flights SYD-HCM-HAN-SYD have been cancelled. Check your emails (I found an email from them in my Spam folder for our outbound flight in November). Very disappointing.
Likewise. Just had 8 flights cancelled FRA-HAN over the holidays and no one is answering emails
Any airline is better then Air Canada or Canada's other main carrier Westjet,
Bamboo Airways should try Canada, LOL
Initial progress? Improved commercial efficiency? That would make Goebbels blush.
The low cost regional market is also so competitive, the costs of the ticket are so low that it is hard to compete as well, even Singapore airline is around as well. I think their best bite might be Bangkok airways that type of airlines.
I really do wonder if Qantas is pursuing the purchase of a few of these 787s. They are the same engine type and quite lightly used. I wouldn't be surprised, especially how thinly spread their fleet is and wet-leasing one or two 330s from Finnair for the next 3 years or so.
MEL to HCMC cancelled November. Doubt I'll get my refund. Hoping insurance will sort it out.
world's worst airlines .. even the employees have got any official news. Just pay us our any months of salary. Worst airlines to fly with. It's going down.
hãng hàng không tệ nhất thế giới .. ngay cả nhân viên cũng nhận được tin tức chính thức. Chỉ cần trả cho chúng tôi bất kỳ tháng lương nào. Các hãng hàng không tồi tệ nhất để bay cùng. Nó đang đi xuống.
Xin chào, cảm ơn bạn đã liên hệ với chúng tôi. Chúng tôi đã nhận được tin nhắn của bạn và sẽ sớm trả lời.
Both my flights cancelled, 25/10 23/10 to Hanoi from Gatwick, emailed them nothing back, phoned Heathrow office said all flights cancelled till further notice
Told me to email for refund, nothing back from them ♂️. Brought new flights from another airline they where more expensive. Very poor show from them!!
I am spitting blood regarding Bamboo Airways. I'm still waiting for a £2,360.00 refund for flights I booked Gatwick to Hamoi originally meant to depart UK on the 1st November. Mr CEO, it's beyond infuriating and utterly disgraceful that I've not yet been refunded. ●Your shameful inaction soils not only the name of your airline but the reputation of Vietnam itself●. If by the time of my early November arrival in Hanoï (via a rival carrier) I'm STILL waiting for the money you owe me >I shall personally present myself at your premises< and demand that Bamboo Airways repay me there and then. Or will you, before I leave the UK, do the decent thing and transfer the money into my bank account this week....?
DOES HONOUR MEAN ANYTHING IN VIETNAM? YES? THEN SHOW ME! SOONEST!
Dear Mr D P Hughes,
I highly doubt Bamboo Airways will read your post here. I’m confused by your post however. You want a refund on one hand but then threaten to turn up to the Bamboo office in person, in which case you would have used your booked ticket and therefore not require a refund.
Sounds like the forthcoming fate of Riyadh Air or upcoming Neom Air in next 5-10 years. But of course they might just keep getting bailed out by their beloved government
Just flew Fra-Sgn-Syd in Business last week for the 2nd time.
Was a wonderful flight and will surely miss their product
Odd. I always thought Bamboo Air would have done very well if they flew to SJC and LGB which is closer to the largest diaspora of overseas Vietnamese. Shocked to see that they went to Germany and UK instead of France as well. Go figure.
Mmmm
I'm trusting AirNZ are watching - 787s available to free up some 320/321s for improving domestic service?
New Airline Norse Atlantic Airways
Flys 787-9 aircraft, as they are slowly
expanding in the international market, would be nice if they took possession of the aircraft.
I quite liked the look of this airline I wanted to give it a go. I tried to book flights directly a few times but gave up as the website was not user friendly at all. Such a shame
It looks like they don’t have the money to refund customers they cancelled on. There’s no response and im seeing many people in the same situation as me. Im very worried we won’t see our £5000 back.
Surely your credit card has travel insurance if you're buying 5000 GBP tickets?
Quick update. I had a return flight cancelled in December/January - Sydney - Ho Chi Minh - Frankfurt last Saturday. I have already received a full refund.
They've just canceled my domestic Hanoi to Can Tho flight in January, and Can Tho (VCA) doesn't show as an option for booking in their drop down menu anymore. It looks like they're trimming down their domestic market quite a bit as well.