Low-cost carrier Vietjet Air placed an order worth 682 million USD on June 17 to purchase 6 additional Airbus A321 jets during the ongoing 51^st International Paris Air Show in France.

The order is expected to be delivered in 2017 and is a key component of Vietjet Air’s business expansion plan.

Vietjet purchases 6 Airbus jets (Source: Vietjet Air)

This purchase follows Vietjet Air’s 9.1 billion USD purchase-and-rent transactions with Airbus for 100 aircrafts, which was signed in February 2014. The carrier received the first six A320 and A321 early this year, with 6-12 aircrafts being delivered annually from now on.

The Chief Operating Officer of Airbus said he was pleased to see Vietjet enlarging its A320 Family fleet, noting that the A320 Family had the lowest operating costs in the single aisle market. Furthermore, he added, this most recent order from Vietjet Air confirmed the growing popularity of the A321 as the largest model of the product line.

Meanwhile, Vietjet Air General Director Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao considered the deal as a milestone in the airline’s development process that would help the firm meet the rising demand on its most popular routes.

That same day, Vietjet Air inked a 60-million-USD credit packet with BNP Paribas, a French bank, who had previously advised Vietjet Air on its purchase-and-rent transactions with Airbus.

In addition to the credit deal, the Vietnamese airline also signed a 1.5-billion-USD insurance package for its fleet.

The carrier currently operates 25 A320 and A321 jets, offering 150 flights a day.

(Source: VNA)