Vietnam’s budget carrier Vietjet appoints former German vice-chancellor to board of directors

According to Vietjet, Rösler, who has held numerous key positions at major global corporations, will accompany the airline during the expansion of its flight network and the development of its wide-body aircraft fleet in the new decade.

Born in 1973 in Vietnam, Rösler was adopted by a German couple at a young age. 

He previously served as Minister of Health, and later as Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Economics and Technology of Germany.

Over the past decade, he has transitioned from politics to focus on international business ventures.

Before joining Vietjet, Rösler was an independent board member of Vietravel Airlines, another airline of Vietnam, from October 2023.

At Vietravel Airlines, he served as a strategic advisor, promoting international cooperation and connecting investors across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

Alongside the appointment of new leadership, Vietjet also announced the departure of four board members: Donal Boylan, Luu Duc Khanh, Chu Viet Cuong, and Nguyen Thanh Hung. 

These individuals will now serve as founding board members and advisors to the airline.

Vietjet is currently executing its plan to develop a fleet of wide-body aircraft, aiming to open new long-haul routes to Europe and expand its presence across the Asia-Pacific region.

The airline has recently signed a contract to purchase 20 Airbus A330-900 aircraft, a new generation of wide-body jets, supporting its long-term growth strategy.

As of the end of Q1 2025, Vietjet had added two more aircraft, bringing its total fleet to 106.

During the quarter, the airline transported more than 6.87 million passengers and operated nearly 38,700 flights, marking year-over-year increases of nine and 12 percent, respectively. 

The seat occupancy rate reached 87 percent and the technical reliability rate hit 99.72 percent.

Vietjet’s consolidated revenue last quarter reached nearly VND18 trillion (US$689 million) and its pre-tax profit totaled VND836 billion ($32 million), equivalent to 38 percent of its annual target of VND2.2 trillion ($84.2 million).

For 2025, Vietjet set a target to generate revenue of VND81.7 trillion ($3.1 billion) and a pre-tax profit of VND2.2 trillion ($84.2 million), up 13 and 21 percent, respectively, compared to the previous year.

The airline currently operates 137 air routes, including 97 international routes, continuing to affirm its global strategy and the export of its low-cost airline model to the world.