Vietnam Airlines wet-leases Cebu Pacific jet for peak domestic travel

A Cebu Pacific Airbus A320neo is expected to operate selected domestic services under Vietnam Airlines flight numbers from July 15 to September 7, 2026.

The aircraft will be based at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and operate round-trip flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Cam Ranh, Phu Quoc, Vinh and Da Nang.

Under the wet-lease agreement, Cebu Pacific will provide the aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance, while Vietnam Airlines will handle scheduling and ticket sales.

Airlines typically use wet leases to add capacity quickly during demand surges or fleet maintenance, though the higher cost usually limits such deals to a few weeks or months.

Leased aircraft may retain the lessor’s original livery, be fully repainted or carry only an additional logo.

Passengers should therefore not be surprised if the aircraft does not look like the one shown on their ticket.

For flights carrying VN numbers, passengers should follow Vietnam Airlines’ check-in instructions and should not switch to Cebu Pacific’s counters or app.

They should check the flight number, destination, departure time and boarding gate.

Cebu Pacific has operated services to Vietnam since 2008, when it launched flights from Manila to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It added a Manila-Da Nang route in late 2023.

The latest arrangement marks a change, however, as Cebu Pacific aircraft and crews will also operate domestic flights within Vietnam under Vietnam Airlines flight numbers.

Another arrangement that may confuse passengers involves flights carrying VN6XXX numbers but marked as “operated by Pacific Airlines.”

In March 2024, Pacific Airlines returned its entire Airbus A320 fleet to lessors and temporarily suspended operations for restructuring.

The aircraft returns allowed the airline to have about VND4.284 trillion ($162.92 million) in lease payments, interest and late-payment penalties written off, but also left it without any aircraft in operation.

Vietnam Airlines later dry-leased three Airbus A321 aircraft to Pacific Airlines.

Under a dry lease, only the aircraft is provided, without pilots or cabin crew.

Pacific Airlines used its own operating license, crews and operational system before resuming flights on June 26, 2024.

Tickets may be sold through the Vietnam Airlines website, but booking information still identifies Pacific Airlines as the operating carrier.

By the end of 2025, Vietnam Airlines still recorded the three A321 aircraft as being dry-leased to Pacific Airlines.

Most recently, on June 15, the two airlines moved to extend both the aircraft lease agreement and the flight-operation services agreement, allowing Pacific Airlines to continue operating the aircraft.