Vietnam News Network

Delta Air Lines (the US) recently opened an office on Ton Duc Thang Road, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, and let it be known that the Bien Dong Tourist Joint Stock Company is hereby authorized to act as its representative and agent. This was done as Delta prepares to launch daily flights between Ho Chi Minh City and the US with a stopover in Tokyo, Japan. Nguyen Hoang spoke with Brian Swain, the managing director of Delta Air Lines in Asia

Why has Delta chosen to launch a new route now, in the midst of this economic downturn?

When is the inaugural flight for this new route going to take place?

Our inaugural flight for this route will leave Narita Airport at 11:10 pm on June 1. The first Ho Chi Minh City-US flight will leave Tan Son Nhat Airport at 6:15 pm on June 2.

Why did you choose Tokyo to be the transit point on this route?

We believe that the terminal in Tokyo is the best in Asia. The Ho Chi Minh City-Tokyo leg of this new Vietnam-US route is Delta’s 14th Asian connection with Narita. Flights will take off from Ho Chi Minh City in the morning and stop in Tokyo in the afternoon. I believe that a transit in Tokyo is the best choice.

What US destinations are possible to those flying from Ho Chi Minh City on Delta?

Northwest Airlines, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines will have daily non-stop flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan. Passengers will not be allowed to end their flight in Japan or change their flight plans at Narita Airport. They will disembark and have a transit time of 90-120 minutes in Narita before the airplane takes them to their destination, one of nine large cities in the US - Los Angeles, Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Detroit, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, New York or Salt Lake City. Northwest will be using Boeing 757-200 aircraft which have 16 first-class seats and 144 economy-class seats for its flights between Ho Chi Minh City and the US.

Why did Delta pick the Bien Dong Tourist Joint Stock Company to be its representative and agent?

It was chosen because it has an excellent reputation and very professional staff members.