Vietnamese budget airline VietJet, popularly known as ‘Bikini Airline’ is going to start its operations in India. The airline has announced direct flights from New Delhi to Ho Chi Minh starting in July this year.
The founder
VietJet was founded by Vietnam’s first self-made woman billionaire Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao who has an eye-popping net-worth of $3.4 billion according to Forbes. She ranks as the second richest person in Vietnam.
Using controversial marketing strategies
The airline caught everyone’s attention when its ad campaigns featured women dressed in bikinis in 2011. Since then, VietJet is using its flight attendants in bikinis to attract passengers. It is also famous for its onboard “fashion shows” featuring models in swimsuits walking down the aisle. Note that, not all the flights of Vietjet have female attendants wearing a bikini, it is done only on some special flights. VietJet has been fined by the Vietnamese authorities for its unethical marketing stunts. For example, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam fined 20 million dongs (around $1000) when the airline hosted a mid-flight Hawaiian-themed dance by females wearing a bikini in 2012.
Business growth
Even after facing so many controversies, the airlines reported a net profit of 4.76 trillion dongs ($209.10 million) last year, with around 75 percent growth. VietJet has a fleet of 55 A320 and A321 aircraft. A total of 385 flights on 82 domestic and international routes are operated.
It will be very interesting to see how Indians react to this and it and now that the airline is starting its operations in our country, we can only imagine the outrage it will create. This is how Twitter has reacted to this:
Paisa vasool
Paisa vasool ????
— Samit Gupta (@fukyard) March 18, 2018
Expect 100% Men on this flight
This certainly qualifies as breaking news????#Vietnam’s Bikini airlines is launching in India soon. It’s low cost. I can just imagine what is going to happen with the air hostesses dressed in bikinis….Expect 100% Men on this flight. pic.twitter.com/gSGJl9jIhC
— Priya Gupta (@priyagupta999) March 18, 2018
Imaginative marketing strategy designed to fetch more revenue.
Imaginative marketing strategy designed to fetch more revenue. How about monokini clad male stewards to entertain female passengers?
— Dipankar Mukherjee (@serendipankar) April 3, 2018
