17 A321neo aircraft grounded in Vietnam while int’l travel demand rises

As of mid-July 2026, Vietnam had 280 aircraft registered under its national registry, including 252 fixed-wing aircraft and 28 helicopters.

The fixed-wing fleet mainly comprises passenger, cargo, and specialized aircraft.

These are aircraft registered in Vietnam's national aircraft registry, bearing Vietnamese nationality markings and subject to the oversight of the country's aviation authority.

Compared with 2025, the number of registered aircraft increased by 18, with 23 newly registered aircraft and five removed from the registry.

However, not all registered aircraft are currently in service.

The A321neo is widely used by Vietnamese airlines on high-demand routes.

Although the number of grounded aircraft has fallen by six compared with the same period last year, the shortage continues to complicate fleet scheduling, particularly during the summer travel season and major holidays such as Tet.

Globally, around 3,500 Pratt & Whitney engines have been recalled for inspection and maintenance.

As a result, Vietnam Airlines said engine repair times have increased from the usual 90 days to between 250 and 300 days.

With global demand for aircraft remaining high, the shortage is expected to continue through 2026 and may not be resolved until 2027.

The aircraft shortage has made it difficult for airlines to increase flight frequencies, forcing them to operate tighter schedules. A delay to one flight can easily cascade to subsequent flights using the same aircraft.

In January-June, Vietnam's aviation market served 26.2 million international passengers, up 15.4 percent year on year, while domestic passenger traffic remained almost unchanged at 18.7 million.

International travelers have become the main driver of growth in Vietnam's aviation market.

However, Vietnamese airlines carried only about 9.6 million international passengers, accounting for 36.6 percent of the total.

In other words, domestic carriers transported only about 37 out of every 100 passengers traveling to or from Vietnam, with the remainder flying on foreign airlines.

Vietnamese carriers currently operate 109 international routes serving 22 countries and territories, while foreign airlines operate 235 scheduled international routes to Vietnam.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said the growing number of flights and passengers has increased pressure to maintain aviation safety.

In addition to extreme weather, airports are facing rising risks from drones, birds, and wildlife entering runway areas.

Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam Uong Viet Dung instructed aviation authorities and operators not to compromise safety in pursuit of operational schedules or economic efficiency.

As travel demand continues to rise, the aviation industry's challenge is not only expanding the size of the fleet but also ensuring that enough aircraft are available to operate safely, on time, and reliably.