~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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Vietnam Airlines, American Airlines start code-sharing arrangement

HANOI - Vietnam Airlines and American Airlines began their code-sharing agreement Monday, a spokesman for Vietnam's national carrier said. The agreement will be carried out in two phases, spokesman Nguyen Chan said. In the first phase, American Airlines' flights from the U.S. to Tokyo, Osaka, Paris and Frankfurt that connect to Vietnam Airlines' flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will have Vietnam Airlines' "VN" code.

In the second phase, to be announced later, Vietnam Airlines flights to those four cities will add American Airlines' "AA" code, Chan said. A Vietnam Airlines statement said the implementation of the code-sharing agreement allows the Vietnamese carrier to boost its image in the global transportation markets. Chan said that Vietnam Airlines is preparing for direct flights between the two countries, and that "once the two governments allow, Vietnam Airlines will start flying as soon as it can." He added that the Vietnamese carrier plans to use Boeing 777 aircraft, capable of carrying up to 338 passengers, for its future U.S.-bound flights.

In the first three months of this year, more than 110,000 Americans visited Vietnam -- up 28.8 percent compared with the same period in 2005, government figures show. Last year, the number of American visitors to Vietnam rose 22.4 percent to 333,500.

The Associated Press - April 17, 2006.