Pacific Airlines

This article is about the Vietnamese airline. For the defunct United States airline, see Pacific Air Lines.
Not to be confused with Pan Pacific Airlines.

Pacific Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
BL PIC PACIFIC
FoundedDecember 1990; 33 years ago (1990-12)
Commenced operationsApril 1991; 33 years ago (1991-04)
Operating bases
Frequent-flyer programLotusmiles
Fleet size1
Destinations22
Parent companyVietnam Airlines (98%)
HeadquartersHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Key people
Websitewww.pacificairlines.com.vn

Pacific Airlines Joint Stock Aviation Company (Vietnamese: Công ty Cổ phần Hàng không Pacific Airlines, operating as Pacific Airlines) is a low-cost airline and ground services provider headquartered in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam,[3] with its primary operating base at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.[4] From 2008 to 2020, it was known as Jetstar Pacific Airlines (as a subsidiary of Jetstar).

The airline began operations in 1991, flying chartered cargo services. From 1996 to 2005, the airline, along with other local companies, operated under the government-owned Vietnam Airlines Corporation. Having by now operated passenger services, Pacific Airlines then came under the control of the government itself. In 2007, the Vietnamese government sold a 30% shareholding to Qantas, and as such the airline adopted a low-cost operations model and adopted its name (Jetstar Pacific) on 23 May 2008, becoming part of the Jetstar network.[5][6][7]

In February 2012, Vietnam Airlines bought a 70% stake in the company.[8] As part of its expansion plan, it was intended that Jetstar Pacific will have up to 15 Airbus A320 aircraft by the end of 2015[9] and up to 30 aircraft by 2020.[10] In late 2020, Qantas sold its stakes in Jetstar Pacific to Vietnam Airlines and the carrier returned to its old brand name Pacific Airlines.[11][12]

On 8 March 2024, Pacific Airlines temporarily suspended all of its services and flights and decommissioned its whole fleet, citing financial difficulties and pressure from lessors.[13] The airline resumed its nominal operations on 26 June 2024 after a period of restructuring, using a single Vietnam Airlines airplane.

  1. ^ "Jetstar appoints new general director". Viet Nam News. Viet Nam News. 10 December 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  2. ^ Nguyen, Dat (18 August 2020). "Pacific Airlines gets new CEO". VnExpress.
  3. ^ "Jetstar". Jetstar. Archived from the original on 15 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013. JETSTAR PACIFIC (VIETNAM) Address 112 Hong Ha Ward 12 Tan Binh Dist. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  4. ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 10 April 2007. p. 60.
  5. ^ Qantas buys into Vietnam Australian Aviation issue 238 June 2007 page 14
  6. ^ Ionides, Nicholas (26 July 2007). "Qantas's Jetstar mulls over 'very large' Airbus A320 order". FlightGlobal. Archived from the original on 21 June 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  7. ^ "Jetstar links with Vietnamese Pacific". Sydney Morning Herald. 14 April 2008. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  8. ^ "About Jetstar Pacific in Vietnam". Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  9. ^ Anh, Minh (14 January 2013). "Jetstar Pacific: Lỗ 5 năm, vẫn phải làm!". VnEconomy (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  10. ^ Creedy, Steve (3 November 2015). "Jetstar Pacific fleet tipped to double". The Australian.
  11. ^ "Qantas to sell stake in Jetstar In Jan 2023 Pacific". Australian Aviation. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Brand Change and Streamlining Functions for Jetstar Pacific". spirit.vietnamairlines.com. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  13. ^ Curran, Andrew. "Viet Nam's Pacific Airlines pauses ops, hands over aircraft". ch-aviation. Retrieved 26 March 2024.