Vietjet (VJC) Ties Up With Airbus, Boeing for Long Thanh Smart-Airport Hub

Overview

Vietjet (HOSE: VJC) has engaged Airbus, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce on aviation technology and smart-airport infrastructure tied to the Long Thanh airport project in Đồng Nai province, according to deputy CEO Tô Việt Thắng. The carrier, part of Sovico Group, also expects the newly established Asia-Pacific Aviation Financial Hub (AAFH) to improve access to aviation capital markets.

Key Facts

• Tô Việt Thắng, Standing Deputy General Director of Vietjet, disclosed the plans at the CEO 500 - Autumn Economic Forum 2026 event.
• Vietjet and Sovico Group have held working sessions with Airbus, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce.
• The stated focus is smart-airport development using AI and Big Data in aviation operations.
• Vietjet plans to co-invest with partners in aviation industrial zones, particularly around Long Thanh airport in Đồng Nai province.
• The AAFH was announced in February in Singapore by the Vietnam International Financial Centre in Hồ Chí Minh City (VIFC-HCM) together with Vietjet.
• Per an SHS industry report, Vietjet held roughly 44% of the domestic market in 2024 versus Vietnam Airlines at 42%.
• On international routes, Vietnamese carriers hold about 40-45% share, with Vietjet at 56% versus Vietnam Airlines at 42%.
• No investment value, timeline or binding agreement terms were disclosed.

What Happened

Speaking at the CEO 500 - Autumn Economic Forum 2026, Vietjet’s Standing Deputy General Director Tô Việt Thắng said aviation typically grows at roughly twice the rate of GDP, and argued that Vietnam’s airport build-out, led by Long Thanh near Hồ Chí Minh City, requires foreign fund participation to develop technology infrastructure sustainably. He said Sovico Group and Vietjet have worked with partners to bring new technology into Vietnam, prioritising smart airports and the use of AI and Big Data in aviation management.

Thắng said Vietjet has held discussions with Airbus, Boeing and engine makers Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce, and that the company will co-invest with partners in aviation industrial zones around Long Thanh to develop aviation technology. On financing, he pointed to the AAFH, announced in February in Singapore by VIFC-HCM and Vietjet, as a potential catalyst for aviation capital markets amid a global industry restructuring in which Asia-Pacific is expected to remain the main growth engine. The remarks were made at a public forum; no filing or contract terms accompanied them.

Market Context

VJC closed at 134 on 27 October 2026, up 1.21% on volume of 622,700 shares, a modest move that suggests the market has not yet priced the partnership commentary as a hard catalyst. The stock sits in the aviation and infrastructure overlap, a theme that has drawn attention as Long Thanh progresses and as Vietnamese carriers rebuild international capacity. Vietjet’s leading domestic and international market shares, per the SHS data cited, underpin its role as the anchor carrier for any airport-adjacent industrial and technology cluster.

Strategic Significance

The thesis here is vertical integration beyond the airline itself: Sovico and Vietjet are positioning to capture value in maintenance, technology and smart-airport services around Long Thanh rather than only in flight operations. Tying up with Airbus, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce, the same OEMs that supply and service its fleet, gives Vietjet a credible route into MRO and aviation-tech industrial parks where foreign capital and know-how are prerequisites. The AAFH angle matters because aviation is capital-intensive and Vietnamese carriers have historically depended on domestic banks and offshore leases; a dedicated financial hub could lower funding costs and widen the investor base over time.

What to Watch

• Any formal agreement, joint-venture or land-allocation announcement with Airbus, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney or Rolls-Royce.
• Disclosure of investment values, timelines or capital structure for the Long Thanh aviation industrial zones.
• Operational milestones for the AAFH, including licensing, founding shareholders and first capital-raising transactions.
• Long Thanh airport construction and phase-one commissioning schedules, which gate the surrounding infrastructure build.
• VJC quarterly results and fleet-delivery updates, which determine how much balance-sheet capacity the airline has for non-core investment.