- Title: U.S. and Vietnam sign aviation deals
- Date: 23rd May 2016
- Summary: HANOI, VIETNAM (MAY 23, 2016) (AGENCY POOL) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TALKING TO U.S. DELEGATES OBAMA AND VIETNAMESE PRESIDENT TRAN DAI QUANG WALKING TOWARDS FRONT OF ROOM OBAMA AND QUANG WALKING BEHIND TABLE DURING SIGNING CEREMONY VIETNAMESE DELEGATION STANDING BOEING C.E.O. RAY CONNER (LEFT) AND VIETJET AIR C.E.O NGUYEN THI PHUONG THAO (RIGHT) SITTING DOWN AT THE SIGNING TABLE CONNER SIGNING DOCUMENT THAO SIGNING DOCUMENT OBAMA AND QUANG LOOKING ON CONNER AND THAO EXCHANGING DOCUMENTS AND POSING FOR PHOTO WITH OBAMA AND QUANG VIETNAMESE DELEGATION STANDING (FROM LEFT) THAO, OBAMA, QUANG AND CONNER POSING FOR PHOTO SIGNING CEREMONY IN PROGRESS OFFICIALS SIGNING DOCUMENTS OFFICIALS EXCHANGING DOCUMENTS, SHAKING HANDS U.S. DELEGATION STANDING OBAMA AND QUANG SHAKING HANDS WITH OFFICIALS, POSING FOR PHOTO STATUE OF FORMER VIETNAMESE LEADER HO CHI MINH / OBAMA AND QUANG STANDING OFFICIALS GETTING UP FROM THEIR SEATS, EXCHANGING DOCUMENTS AND SHAKING HANDS SIGNING CEREMONY IN PROGRESS OBAMA AND QUANG SHAKING HANDS, WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 7th June 2016 07:13
- Keywords: US VietJet Boeing Barack Obama Tran Dai Quang aviation
- Location: HANOI, VIETNAM
- City: HANOI, VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA0014J12ERR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:One of the first deals signed during U.S. President Barack Obama's first trip to the former U.S. foe Vietnam was an $11.3 billion order for 100 Boeing 737 MAX 200 planes by low-cost airline VietJet on Monday (May 23).
The signing underlines the burgeoning commercial relationship between the two countries, and makes VietJet one of the region's fastest growing low-cost carriers.
It also represents a coup for Boeing, as VietJet has only operated its European rival Airbus' A320 airplanes since it began operations in December 2011.
VietJet says it now has 36 Airbus planes in service, and the delivery of the Boeing planes, expected during 2019 to 2023, will bring the fleet to more than 200 aircraft by the end of 2023, potentially surpassing flag carrier Vietnam Airlines.
The airline also signed a $3.04 billion deal for engines made by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies, for the 63 Airbus A321 planes that it ordered in November 2015.
Obama, the third U.S. president to visit Vietnam since ties were restored in 1995, is scheduled to deliver a speech to the Vietnamese people on Tuesday (May 24) morning before leaving Hanoi to visit Ho Chi Minh, formerly known as Saigon.
The three-day trip to the country is part of Obama's strategic "rebalance" towards Asia. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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