It’s common to see airplanes fly for multiple carriers over the course of their life (it’s one of the reasons I love tracking the history of planes). However, I just saw a plane that caught my attention more than any other that I’ve seen in quite some time…
In this post:
Hey, this Vietravel Airlines A321 looks familiar!
While sitting in a Priority Pass lounge at Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) rather bleary-eyed, I couldn’t help but gaze out at the apron and runway, given the views. I loved the traffic, from the EVA Air Boeing 777-300ER, to the Korean Air Boeing 787-10, to the Starlux Airlines Airbus A350-900, to the… wait, what the heck is that (sorry for the picture quality, but I don’t control the airport’s window cleaning)?!
When I saw the above school bus-looking monstrosity taxi by, I thought I was in Fort Lauderdale (FLL) for a moment. Nope, instead it was a rather beat-up looking Vietravel Airlines Airbus A321. As you’d expect, I immediately had to look up the registration code. There’s no way this plane didn’t recently come from Spirit, right?
Well, my speculation was correct (I mean, don’t give me too much credit, I’m pretty sure my three-year-old would’ve commented “papa, is that a Spirit Airlines plane?”). Anyway, this was the 11-year-old A321 with the registration code VN-A129, and it entered service with Vietravel Airlines in July 2025. To state the obvious, Spirit Airlines is currently going through its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and the airline has been shedding some planes.
What is Vietravel Airlines, anyway?
With the first mystery solved (yes, that yellow thing used to fly for Spirit Airlines), I wanted to solve the second mystery — what on earth is Vietravel Airlines?
After doing a bit of research, it appears the airline has a fleet of three aircraft — there’s one ex-Spirit A320, one ex-Spirit A321, and one ex-Niki A321. It’s funny, because the carrier commenced operations in 2021, and the first A321 (the ex-Niki one) actually has a respectable-looking livery, while the two latest planes look like the above.
The airline primarily operates domestic flights within Vietnam, which… is a pretty competitive market. So after looking up the route network, I had the next logical question — who gets to fly in the former Spirit Airlines Big Front Seats? So I looked up some fares, and it seems like Vietravel Airlines does have “premium” fares on flights operates by the two former Spirit planes, which book into those bigger seats.
I found it interesting what else is included with these fares, including…private car service?!? Move over, Lufthansa First Class Terminal!
Goodness, I’m kind of sad I’m just passing through Vietnam, or else I would’ve booked a ticket on this airline! Maybe next time…
Bottom line
With Spirit Airlines having offloaded some planes, understandably leasing companies have found new homes for these aircraft. However, I wasn’t expecting to see one taxiing in Ho Chi Minh City, flying for Vietravel Airlines, an airline I hadn’t heard of. Man, isn’t the airline industry interesting?
Am I the only one who wants to fly the Vietravel Airlines Big Front Seat?!
Based on the relative humidity, Ho Chi Minh might as well be Fort Lauderdale in August. Pardon, I meant… Fraud Liquordale.
I wonder if former Sprit pilots are flying them?
Last time I connected through Ho Chi Minh, I saw at least six aircraft in Thomas Cook livery with basic VietJet stickers, years after TCX shuttered.
I find this article, I think nostalgic, not really sure. Last time I saw Ton Son Nuht base was in 1967, as my Pan Am flight back to the real world was taking off, on after-burner. The first time I saw it was one year earlier as the Continental 707 dove for the deck from 40,000 ft. to the runway. To say things have changed might qualify for understatement of the year. Someday I might go back.
I hope you do, AlanZ. Vietnam today is lovely, especially as a tourist. You really can’t go wrong. If in the north, Halong Bay or Ninh Bing is worth it. The beaches in the south and near Cam Ranh impressed us, too. No, it’s nothing like during the war; and, it’s relatively modern and open. If you’re into pho, your taste buds will thank you. I’m pretty sure LH flies FRA-HAN/SGN, too.
I flew with this airline. They book complete tour packages very inexpensively. We flew from Saigon to Danang (maybe 45 minutes), and they ut us on a tour bus to explore the central area of the country. The plane was fine. Certainly better than Ryan Air or Whizz, but what isn't?
El Al bought right now two former Southwest 737-800. The first of them landed in Ben Gurion on February 12
I see a yellow plane right now at SGN domestic terminal 3, thanks for this article great timing!
OMG it really IS a Spirit plane! We saw this yesterday at SGN. Thanks, Ben.
Makes me smile that the young av geek blogger is called "Papa".
I always wonder how do those smaller planes get to their new carriers on the other side of the world?
And to follow: Is there a marketplace that shows all the planes that are for sale/ lease that carriers trying to unload/ pick up?
I'm guessing this one went via Alaska and Japan to reach Vietnam. Or it could have gone to Hawaii, Guam, and then Vietnam.
A lot of planes are owned by leasing companies, rather than airlines. Especially one that flies for a bankrupt airline.
But if you google, you can find some planes for sale: https://www.globalplanesearch.com/aircraft-for-sale/airbus
With no passengers and no cargo and a full load of fuel, the range is probably about 50% more than your routine commercial flight. You see 737s fly initial delivery flights from Seattle to Europe and Asia all the time.
10/10 omaat artcle. I love these weird little things. To be fair Spirit said bye to this plane a while back, none of their recently mass retired planes have found new homes yet.
Somehow appropriate that the ex-Spirit planes are the raggedy ones!
In Thailand, there’s also a former WOW plane that all purple, except for the tail that’s been repainted in VietJet Thailand livery
I'm sure I saw that plane 2 weeks ago at SGN thinking it was a convergant plane. I also saw a Cubana plane in HAN last week
Random avgeek posts are the best OMAAT posts.
I was on the plane last month. They do have the old Spirit cabin includind the big front seats.
F&B is for purchase, pretty average leisure carrier.
That looks like someone put giant duct tape to keep the two halves of the fuselage together... Duct tape works everywhere!
In this case it works to hide the Spirit logo.
I haven't figured it out yet but somehow this is Bilt's fault.
Yes, you are the only one that wants to try this new airline.
I’ve seen airframes abandoned for years beside a runway in better condition than that!