Vietnam Airlines launches signature scent ecosystem

With the airline’s scent ecosystem, Nha (LotuScent), passengers will encounter this curated aroma from the check-in area and Lotus Lounge all the way into the cabin, creating a seamless and unified sensory experience.

A fragrance rooted in Vietnamese identity

Le Hong Ha, CEO of Vietnam Airlines, said the scent ecosystem marks an important step in the airline’s service-quality upgrade strategy as it works toward achieving 5-star airline standards by 2030.

Scent, he noted, is the most direct path to emotion. “When passengers remember Vietnam Airlines by a scent, that is when we know we have created a truly distinctive difference,” Ha said.

The development of Nha spanned several months and involved perfumer Rei Nguyen.

Inspired by the lotus flower, the fragrance is crafted from quintessential Vietnamese ingredients such as Tam Coc lotus flowers, Thai Nguyen tea, green rice flakes (com) from Vong Village, Thanh Tra pomelos, Doan Hung pomelos, and Lai Vung mandarin oranges.

The scent is refined for each specific space. The check-in area and Lotus Lounge carry notes of lotus and black tea to evoke relaxation.

The aircraft cabin uses the full fragrance blend to welcome and bid farewell to passengers. The lavatory features lotus and mandarin notes, brightened and adjusted to suit compact spaces and cabin-pressure conditions.

Before the official rollout, various versions of the fragrance underwent months of testing in a cabin simulator to assess longevity, diffusion, and stability under low-pressure and low-humidity environments.

Competing through emotional experiences

Carriers note that adopting a signature scent aligns with a broader global trend, where emotional experience, rather than amenities alone, has become a core competitive factor among international airlines.

Vietnam’s aviation market has shifted rapidly with the entry of new carriers and the expansion of existing ones. Ticket pricing, route networks, and fleet size are no longer easy differentiators.

As traditional services such as meals, seating, and lounges have become increasingly comparable across airlines, creating an 'emotional identity layer' is expected to enhance distinctiveness.

Airlines are now compelled to compete through more refined, experience-driven services. Premium passengers, particularly international travelers, are paying greater attention to intangible elements such as fragrance, sound, communication, design, and brand identity. This segment, high-spending and revenue-contributing, is increasingly influential.

Integrating Nha across the entire flight journey is also part of Vietnam Airlines’ effort to preserve Vietnamese identity while elevating its service to international standards.

Beyond domestic competitors, the airline is competing with regional 5-star carriers such as Singapore Airlines, ANA, and Cathay Pacific.

According to air carriers, international carriers are shifting their competitive focus from flight frequency to service quality and the fast-growing high-value customer segment.