A new corporate identity and service upgrade has been unveiled by Vietnam Airlines ahead of an expanded service to the UK.
The revamp coincides with the introduction of new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft.
The first new Dreamliners are due for delivery by the end of the month, and will be introduced on Vietnam Airlines’ UK routes from September.
The SkyTeam alliance member aims to be the first airline to operate the latest version of the Dreamliner non-stop between south-east Asia and Europe.
Heathrow will become the first international destination on the Vietnam Airlines network to be served by the new aircraft.
Frequencies will rise from four flights to five or six flights a week between Heathrow and Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City following the deployment of the Dreamliners, before increasing to a daily service in summer 2016.
The new aircraft will feature fully flat beds in business class, with in-flight Wi-Fi also set to be introduced.
Return fares from Heathrow to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi start at £441 or £525 per person respectively.
Vietnam Airlines will be the first Asian airline to operate both Boeing and Airbus’ next-generation aircraft at the same time.
The arrival of the new A350 in Hanoi marks the start of a major fleet upgrade including a total of 19 Dreamliners and 14 A350-900 XWBs.
Airline chairman Pham Viet Thanh said: “With the official launch of our new corporate identity and four-star service upgrade plans, we are striving to meet new demands, create differentials and add more value to serve our customers better.
“We are determined to make Vietnam Airlines a strong airline, bringing passengers the best flight experiences thanks to the perfect blend of Vietnamese cultural traditions and state-of-the-art technologies.”