The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has approved Sun PhuQuoc Airways (SPA) to operate Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft starting September 30, expanding its operational territory to Europe just one year after securing its Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
This regulatory approval marks a major milestone for SPA following its initial AOC issuance on September 25, 2025, and its inaugural commercial flight on November 1, 2025.
According to SPA, the airline submitted its application for A330 operation approval on April 16, 2026. Throughout the evaluation process, the carrier finalized operational documentation, conducted rigorous training programs, and underwent mandatory verification checks covering flight operations, maintenance engineering, dispatch, and ground services. CAAV authorities performed comprehensive inspections before granting full operational approval for the wide-body fleet.
Under its fleet expansion roadmap, SPA has taken delivery of its first owned Airbus A330 (registration VN-A969). The aircraft is scheduled to enter commercial service on October 3 on the Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City route before deployment on international long-haul flights. SPA plans to expand its A330 fleet to eight aircraft by April 2027.
The airline’s first international route using the A330 will connect the pearl island of Phu Quoc and Moscow (PQC-SVO), set to be launched on November 13, 2026. SPA is also conducting feasibility studies for additional direct routes from Phu Quoc to key markets across Europe and Central Asia. The airline also plans to introduce the A330 on routes to Japan from January 2027 and to Australia from May 2027.
Prior to receiving A330 approval, SPA held authorization to operate flights to over 10 international destinations across Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. During its first year of operations, the airline carried nearly 3.4 million passengers.
The addition of the A330 marks SPA’s strategic transition from a narrow-body operator to a dual narrow-body and wide-body carrier.
The airline plans to introduce Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to service longer transcontinental routes.
Google translate