Hanoi (VNA) - On February 28, 2025, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited the Vietjet Aviation Academy (VJAA), one of the region’s and the world’s leading aviation training centres.
Prime Minister Luxon highly praised Vietjet’s state-of-the-art aviation training facilities, which meet European standards. He was particularly impressed by the academy’s modern training and research infrastructure, which includes full-flight simulators (SIMs) for pilot training, aircraft and cabin mock-ups, aviation engineering models, as well ass world-class amenities such as an Olympic-standard swimming pool, a stadium, and specialized engineering training centers. These facilities are specifically designed to deliver comprehensive and high-quality aviation training on a global scale.
His visit marks a pivotal moment as Vietnam and New Zealand elevate their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, ahead of the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. This milestone reflects their deep mutual trust and broad cooperation across key sectors, including trade, education, aviation, tourism, and investment.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Chairwoman of Vietjet, warmly welcomed Prime Minister Luxon and reaffirmed Vietjet’s commitment to further strengthening economic, diplomatic, cultural, and technological cooperation between the two countries. “Our bilateral trade target of USD 3 billion is well within reach, built upon the solid foundation of existing cooperation agreements. Vietjet, alongside businesses from both nations, is committed to expanding partnerships, driving sustainable development, and soaring to new heights together,” said the billionaire entrepreneur.
During the visit, Prime Minister Luxon also witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between VJAA and the International Aviation Academy of New Zealand (IAANZ). The agreement encompasses pilot training programs designed to ensure the supply of highly skilled pilots for the aviation industry in Vietnam and across the broader region.
Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Luxon stated: “I can see how come Vietjet has been built into such a successful airline in a very short period of time. Vietjet will be very critical for us to be able to realise and to catalyse the next growth because we have huge ambitions in the education sector, tourism sector, and we want stronger people and people links so that we can drive more capital trade and investment between our two countries.”
A special highlight of the visit was when Prime Minister Luxon, alongside Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, co-piloted a simulated flight landing at a New Zealand airport in Vietjet’s flight simulator. Notably, prior to his political career, Prime Minister Luxon served as the Chief Executive Officer of Air New Zealand.
At the event, Vietjet proposed the establishment of a Vietjet Hub in New Zealand—a multi-functional center that would connect New Zealand’s tourism and investment hubs to Vietnam and the world through Vietjet’s expansive global flight network. This hub would also serve as a platform for educational exchanges, cultural promotion, and business networking, further fostering tourism and economic ties between the two countries. This initiative aligns with the recent agreements signed between the two governments.
On February 26, 2025, in the presence of both Vietnamese and New Zealand Prime Ministers, Vietjet announced its new Ho Chi Minh City-Auckland route, scheduled to commence in September 2025, initially offering four return flights per week.
These significant developments mark the beginning of a new era of collaboration and trade between Vietnam and New Zealand, underpinned by the strong engagement of leading enterprises such as Vietjet, HDBank, Vikki Digital Bank, and Phu Long Real-estate. This strategic partnership is set to unlock tremendous potential for both nations and further strengthen the ties between their peoples and economies.
The New Zealand Prime Minister’s visit to Vietjet Aviation Academy marked the successful conclusion of his official visit to Vietnam, which was characterised by meaningful engagements and landmark achievements./.
