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When an airline’s financials make analysts sit up straighter than a nervous passenger in turbulence, you know something significant is happening. Vietjet Aviation Joint Stock Company (HOSE: VJC) has just unveiled its audited first-half 2025 report, and the results are anything but modest.

Revenue? An astonishing VND35.601 trillion (about US$1.35 billion). Profit before tax? VND1.6 trillion (US$60.71 million), up a brisk 37% year-on-year. If that doesn’t impress, consider the 65% year-on-year growth in consolidated pre-tax profit a number most carriers would frame and hang in the boardroom.

The airline shepherded 14.4 million passengers across 79,000 flights in just six months. That’s more than the population of Cambodia, all happily seated, tray tables stowed, and seatbelts fastened. Vietjet also contributed a respectable VND4.528 trillion (US$171.82 million) in taxes and fees to the Vietnamese treasury — enough to fund a few new runways.

Liquidity? Healthy. Assets? Over VND112 trillion (US$4.25 billion). Confidence? Sky-high.

Fleet Fever: Paris Air Show Steals the Spotlight

But Vietjet isn’t just coasting on a fat balance sheet. At this year’s Paris Air Show, the carrier walked away with one of the largest shopping bags in aviation. The order: 100 Airbus A321neo aircraft, plus 50 purchase options, is the single biggest deal in the industry this year. Airbus executives probably needed a stiff espresso after signing that one.

Not stopping there, Vietjet also penned an agreement for 40 Airbus A330neo aircraft and tied the knot with Rolls-Royce for 40 Trent 7000 engines to power its incoming wide-body fleet. These orders scream global ambition for an airline once written off by sceptics as a bikini-stunt upstart.

Manila Calling: New Route for November

As if record profits and blockbuster orders weren’t enough, Vietjet has spiced things up with a new Ho Chi Minh City–Manila service, commencing 22 November 2025. The route will run five round-trip flights weekly, providing a fresh link to Southeast Asia’s busy web.

For Australians, the timing is pitch-perfect. The Manila launch neatly complements Vietjet’s expansion Down Under, offering travellers the chance to hop from Sydney or Melbourne into Vietnam and the Philippines all on a low-cost ticket that won’t blow the travel budget.

Australia in Focus: Vietjet Steps Up

Speaking of Australia, Vietjet is doubling down. By December 2025, services will climb to daily flights from Sydney and Melbourne, with Brisbane not far behind on five per week. Perth retains its direct link to Ho Chi Minh City, rounding out what is now one of the most extensive low-cost networks between Australia and Vietnam.

For Aussie holidaymakers, this means more pho, beaches, and shopping within easier reach. For the corporate crowd, it spells opportunity: tighter business links, cheaper fares, and more seats for trade and student traffic.

And let’s not overlook the subtle jab at the legacy carriers. Vietjet is quietly reminding Australians that long-haul doesn’t have to mean long-suffering.

Building for Tomorrow: Long Thanh Maintenance Hub

Closer to home, Vietjet has put shovels in the ground at Long Thanh International Airport, where its Aircraft Maintenance Technical Centre is rising. Once complete, it can service up to 10 aircraft simultaneously, keeping the fleet humming to international standards.

The carrier is also rolling out self-service ground operations at key airports. In plain English, passengers will spend less time in queues and more time shopping for duty-free goods or grabbing a banh mi before boarding.

Awards: Not Just Window Dressing

Vietjet has plenty of silverware to polish. Recently, it was crowned “World’s Best Ultra Low-Cost Carrier” by AirlineRatings, a title that carries weight even among sceptical industry veterans. Forbes Vietnam slotted it neatly into the Top 5 revenue-generating enterprises of 2024 and the Top 50 best-listed companies of 2025.

For an airline once dismissed as a marketing gimmick, these accolades underscore that Vietjet is legitimate and increasingly dominant.

Connectivity That Counts

What does all this mean for the average traveller? Choice. With daily Sydney and Melbourne services, direct Perth flights, and now Brisbane stepping up, Vietjet is building a seamless bridge between Australia and Southeast Asia. Add Manila to the network, and Australians suddenly have a one-stop, low-cost path into the Philippines and beyond.

The strategy is simple but powerful: put more planes in the sky, connect more dots on the map, and ensure fares stay low enough to tempt everyone from backpackers to SMEs.

Final Approach

Vietjet’s first-half results tell the story of an airline that is not just flying but soaring. Its numbers dazzle, its orders astound, and its expansion into Australia and Manila looks like a masterstroke.

While competitors mutter about sustainability, liquidity, or capacity, Vietjet has quietly ticked those boxes and moved on. It is no longer the cheeky upstart in the corner; it is the sharp, savvy operator reshaping Asia-Pacific travel.

One seasoned traveller quipped at Tan Son Nhat Airport this week: “Vietjet isn’t just cheap, it’s clever.”