Vietnam Airlines has launched the first ever direct, non-stop flights between London and the two main cities of Vietnam today as the airline looks to attract business and leisure customers to the country and the surrounding Indo-China region, including Cambodia and Laos.

The service is operating out of Gatwick’s newly renovated North Terminal and will start as four times-weekly, two to the northern capital Hanoi and two to the southern, and larger, Ho Chi Minh City.

Flights will be served by B777-200ERs configured with 25 business class seats, 54 seats in Deluxe economy (premium economy) and 228 economy seats.

The airline is planning to increase frequency to seven times-weekly by 2015 once it acquires a batch of 19 purchased and leased Boeing 787-900 Intercontinental Dreamliners.

Flight VN144 will depart Gatwick at 1200 on Tuesday and Friday, arriving in Hanoi at 0630 the next day with the return flight VN145 leaving Hanoi on Monday and Thursday at 2340 and arriving back in London at 0620 the next day.

Flight VN140 will depart Gatwick at 1200 on Wednesday and Saturday, arriving in Ho Chi Minh City at 0710 the next day with the return flight VN141 leaving Vietnam on Tuesday and Friday at 2320 and arriving back at Gatwick at 0620 the next day.

The inaugural flight was celebrated in style with senior figures from the airline and the airport present along with a troop of traditional Vietnamese dancers.

more information: http://www.vietnamairlines.com