Hanoi (VNA) - FLC Group plans to open 40 local andinternational routes after its carrier, Bamboo Airways, becomes operational,said Dang Tat Thang, General Director of the airline.

He made the announcement at the inauguration ceremony of thebrand in Hanoi last week. He said the airline was planning its routes whilewaiting for approval of its licence.

FLC plans to serve 24 domestic and 16 international routes.

In Vietnam, the airline will connect tourism complexes, suchas Thanh Hoa-Quy Nhon, Thanh Hoa-Phu Quoc, Thanh Hoa-Nha Trang and Hai Phong-QuyNhon.

In the international market, Bamboo Airways will cover Japan,the Republic of Korea, China, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and thePhilippines. It also plans to open flights to the US and Europe in the long term.

The airline’s logo will be a stylised symbol of bamboo leavesand stems.

“For us, the bamboo tree symbolises the Vietnamese people’sdesire to fly high, improving the country’s image in the international arena,”Thang said.

The logo was designed by Japanese LIFT Strategic DesignCompany, which has designed the logos of many global airline brands, includingChina Airlines, Philippines Airlines, Oasis Hong Kong and Orbis International.

Thang estimates the number of Bamboo Airways’ aircraft toreach over 200 by 2020 and 400 by 2030.

Last month, FLC Group signed a Memorandum of Understandingwith Airbus to buy up to 24 A321neo aircraft for Bamboo Airways.

FLC said it targeted a modest growth, making up three to fiveper cent of market share in the country’s aviation sector. It aimed to bringbenefits to customers in terms of service quality and ticket fares.

Bamboo Airways will be a hybrid airline - a combination oftraditional and budget airlines to meet the demands of every segment.

In May last year, FLC Group announced the decision of itsmanagement board to establish the Viet Bamboo Airways Company, with a chartercapital of 700 billion VND (31.4 million USD).-VNA