HCMC - Sun Group and three major aviation companies, namely HAECO, Japan Airlines and Toyota Tsusho, have signed a joint venture agreement to invest US$360 million in an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) complex.

The agreement was signed on June 16 at Van Don International Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh, marking the first time a privately operated airport in Vietnam has partnered with international investors to develop a large-scale MRO facility. The project will be built on more than 20 hectares within the airport and is expected to strengthen Van Don's role as an aviation gateway and aviation industry hub in Vietnam. Under the first phase, the facility will be constructed to international standards and will be capable of servicing four wide-body aircraft and two narrow-body aircraft simultaneously, making it one of the largest aircraft maintenance centers in the country. A second phase is planned to expand hangar space and maintenance capacity to improve operational efficiency and support future growth. The facility is expected to begin operations in 2028 and create nearly 1,000 jobs, including around 200 positions for foreign experts and workers, according to the investors. The project comes as Vietnam seeks to expand its aviation infrastructure and develop higher-value aviation services amid growing air travel demand and fleet expansion by domestic carriers. Separately, Sun PhuQuoc Airways recently launched a route connecting HCMC and Van Don with four round-trip flights per week. The airline said inaugural flights recorded load factors exceeding 90%. The carrier plans to launch three additional domestic routes in July, including Hanoi-Nha Trang, HCMC-Haiphong and Haiphong-Phu Quoc.