Sun PhuQuoc Airways, a new leisure airline based in Vietnam, is preparing to acquire eight Airbus A330-200s that were previously in service with American Airlines. The airline commenced its operations in November 2025, with its main hub located in Phu Quoc (PQC) and a current fleet comprising 17 Airbus A320-family aircraft. The purchase of the A330s, which were retired by American Airlines when the coronavirus pandemic began, represents a notable advancement in Sun PhuQuoc Airways’ expansion strategy. These planes, originally delivered to US Airways, include 247 seats: 20 business class seats arranged in a reverse herringbone layout, 21 premium economy seats, and 206 economy class seats. The first four A330s are anticipated to be incorporated into the fleet by late 2026, with the additional four expected to arrive in early 2027.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways intends to deploy these wide-body planes to enhance service to South Korea, Russia, Kazakhstan, Japan, and Australia, while also considering potential growth into European markets. The airline’s CEO, Nguyen Manh Quan, highlighted the crucial significance of this investment in the A330 fleet, aiming to elevate passenger comfort on longer flights and match service quality with international five-star levels.
The choice by American Airlines to prematurely retire these A330s has been perceived as a strategic error, curtailing its opportunities for long-haul growth. These aircraft, which were still relatively modern and had been modified to include premium economy seating, could have been brought back into service to satisfy the renewed travel demand following the pandemic. Instead, American Airlines opted to concentrate on purchasing new aircraft, a strategy that has encountered backlash.
The reintroduction of these A330s by Sun PhuQuoc Airways represents a revitalization for the aircraft, illustrating the ever-changing landscape of the aviation sector and the growth potential within Vietnam’s expanding aviation industry.