Vietnamese budget airline Vietjet, popularly known as the “bikini airline” have kick-started their operation in India from December this year. The airline, which shot to prominence in the year 2011 with an advertisement featuring a crew in bikinis started flights between New Delhi and Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City from December 6.
There are four return flights operating each week on the Ho Chi Minh City – New Delhi route- every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday starting from December 6, 2019. The Hanoi – New Delhi route has three return flights per week on every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday which already started from December 7, 2019. It has been said that the direct flights will have a flying time of around five hours.
Vietjet earned its controversial name after many scandalous incidents in the past. It drew a lot of criticism for their onboard fashion shows in which models in swimsuits walked down the passage between rows of seats in an aircraft. It was also fined ₹55,000 for compromising on air safety after the contestants from a beauty pageant danced around in the plane in the year 2002.
Vietjet hogged the limelight once again in January 2018 after lingerie models paraded down the aircraft which was transporting Vietnam’s under-23 men’s soccer team.
Meanwhile, senior Indian aviation authorities have strict policies against onboard performances by airlines.