Bamboo Airways adopts IBS Software's next gen iFly Loyalty platform to modernize its fast-growing loyalty program

Bamboo Club will deliver an improved customer experience for over 1.6 million frequent flyers.

Bamboo Airways, the private Vietnamese airline aiming to provide world-class services, has selected IBS Software to modernize its loyalty program and provide a superior experience to over 1.6 million Bamboo Club members.

Bamboo Airways, which has carried nearly 20 million passengers since commencing operations in 2019, has worked closely with IBS Software since launch, to power its loyalty management platform as the company continues its focus on creating a 5-star customer experience. With the skyrocketing growth of its Bamboo Club member base by an average of 150% in the last two years, the airline has made its mark in the Vietnamese travel market. Bamboo Airways now connects each of the 22 airports across the country and the airline is also actively expanding beyond its domestic network to international regions including Europe, Asia and Australia.

Loyalty programs became critically important during the pandemic, enabling many airlines to secure lifeline funding and alternative revenue streams. The need to invest and deploy next-generation loyalty programs supported by modern technology platforms such as iFly Loyalty has become a priority for many airlines since 2020.

The recent upgrade to iFly Loyalty enables Bamboo Airways to improve engagement with members and introduce two-factor authentication, along with faster integration options with third-party partners to transform the Bamboo Club into a true lifestyle program. Now, with the cloud-native and dynamically scalable solution in place, the airline can benefit from more efficient innovation, achieve deeper member engagement, and ensure business and revenue growth, as well as operational cost- efficiencies.

Bamboo Airways accelerating technology-led recovery in partnership with IBS Software

 Vietnam's private carrier Bamboo Airways is working with IBS Software to power its passenger service system (PSS) and its fast-growing Bamboo Club loyalty program, as it continues its focus on crisis recovery and enhancing the digital customer experience.

With Vietnam's pandemic under control, and travel sector growth in close reach, Bamboo Airways resumes its plans to achieve its ambitious goals. This year, the target is to grow its fleet to over 40 aircraft whilst expanding services to the US, Europe and around Asia Pacific.

As traveller needs evolve, digital touchpoints become ubiquitous and personalization more pervasive.  Adopting new technology is even more essential and for the airline, this means working to become the leading digitalized airline in the region.

"Bamboo Airways has leveraged technology to elevate the customers experience and optimize the airline's resources. Bamboo Airways will continue to upgrade and innovate, following our motto 'Put customers at the centre of business', to accelerate the process and become an international 5-star airline," says Hoang Ngoc Thach, Deputy Chief Commercial Officer of Bamboo Airways.

Since it started operating in January 2019, Bamboo Airways has embraced IBS Software's iFly Res, an omni-channel Software as a Service (SaaS) commerce platform, to underpin its PSS. Bamboo Airways has deployed iFly Res, one of the first New Distribution Capability (NDC) compliant PSS systems in the world, to power functions including passenger reservations, schedules and flight control, inventory control, fares and ticketing, and departure control.

Vietnamese airlines to resume domestic flights from Thursday

Bamboo Airways Boeing 787                                                                                        Photo Bamboo

Two of Vietnam's airlines have confirmed that they will be starting domestic routes as soon as the government's social isolation rules are relaxed on Thursday.

Bamboo Airways and VietJet Air have said they are starting domestic flights from Thursday,  "The Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route will be resumed from April 16, while other routes will be back to operation from April 20." Bamboo Airways confirmed.  The airline said that during this period passengers would need to bring 1 out of 2 confirmation documents to do flight procedures at the airport for health check:

Certificate of quarantine completion
Certificate of negative confirmation for COVID-19

The carrier confirmed passengers must wear the facial mask during the check-in process and throughout the flight. When queuing for check-in procedures and boarding, passengers must stay at least 2 meters apart.

VietJet Air has also announced it would start domestic flying on Thursday, however, it warned customers the schedule may change at short notice. 

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Vietnamese domestic airline Bamboo Airways operates special flight to Prague.

In cooperation with the Czech Embassy in Vietnam, on 25 March, Bamboo Airways operated a humanitarian charter flight from Hanoi to Prague - the capital city of the Czech Republic to repatriate European citizens.

Simultaneously, the flight also transports medical aid goods provided by the Vietnamese Government to the Czech Republic to support the Czech Republic in addressing the shortage of medical equipment when Covid-19 situation is getting more complicated.  

The flight departed at 8:20 am on 25 March from Noi Bai International Airport - Hanoi and landed at Prague, Czech Republic at 2:32pm local time, carrying 280 Czech and European passengers. 

Bamboo Airways used its wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner registration VN-A829 to operate this special flight. As one of the most modern wide-body aircraft in the 787 family, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner possesses many state-of-the-art amenities to minimize passenger's fatigue during the long-haul flight.

Bamboo axes flights to Korea

Following instructions from the Prime Minister's office to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Bamboo Airways will suspend the operation of two routes Da Nang – Incheon (DAD-ICN) and Nha Trang – Incheon (CXR-ICN) from the date of 26 February 2020.

Currently, DAD/CXR – ICN flights are being daily operated by Bamboo Airways with a frequency of 7 round trips/ week/ route by A321NEO with the capacity of 196 – 198 seats. Therefore, the operation suspension of these two routes is an extremely important and necessary action to actively contribute to preventing the spread of the epidemic.

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Bamboo to head skywards this month

Bamboo Airways, the new startup low-cost airline in Vietnam is poised to take to the skies from the end of this month according to local sources.

The firm has now secured its operating licences from the local authorities following a series of delays the forced the December proposed start date of operations to be suspended.  Now the new carrier plans to operate its maiden flight before the end of the month, with tickets going on sale from 12noon local time on 12th January.

The budget airline has plans to operate up to 37 routes within Vietnam and the region to connect the major cities and make it easier and cheaper for the population to get around, reducing the pressure on aviation infrastructure in the region.

Bamboo Airways to start flying on December 29th

News agency Reuters is reporting that the new Vietnam low-cost-carrier Bamboo Airways will start its flying operations with an inaugural flight on December 29th between Hanoi and the coastal resort of Quy Nhon.

Vietnam's Bamboo Airways Chairman Trinh Van Quyet told Reuters he expects the company to get its licence to fly very soon and will be able to launch its flight schedule. “As well as main cities, we’ll fly to domestic destinations existing airlines don’t reach. Our first international flights will connect Vietnam with South Korea and Japan, early in the second quarter.”

The reason why the carrier has chosen Hanoi - Quy Nhon to be its first route is because of Bamboo's parent company FLC Group JSC FLC.HM has one of its hotels and golf courses there, Quyet, is also chairman of FLC. 

Bamboo also has designs on long-haul operations with flights to the US on its horizon and plans to grow fast, “We will operate 10 planes when we start services and expand to 40 or 50 planes by the end of next year,” Quyet said. 

CDB Aviation to lease three Airbus A320neo aircraft to Bamboo Airways

The Irish aircraft leasing arm of the China Development Bank Financial Leasing has signed a deal with Vietnam’s new start-up carrier, Bamboo Airways for three new Airbus A320-200neo aircraft. 

“We are pleased to welcome our newest, and first, customer in Vietnam, Bamboo Airways, and to support the carrier’s ambitious development plans to meet demand from the country’s booming tourism industry and rapid international air travel growth,” said CDB Aviation Chief Commercial Officer Patrick Hannigan. 

“We are eager to receive the aircraft from CDB Aviation, our strategic partner,” commented Bamboo Airways CEO Dang Tat Thang. “This is an important step in the journey of Bamboo Airways to prepare the best facilities for our guests.”

The airline had planned to launch flying operations on 10th October but was forced to delay due to licencing issues taking longer than expected.  At that time Dang Tat Thang, said "We have to revise the original plan. However, this will have no impact on Bamboo Airways' business strategy and pre-designated flight network,” advising that the airline would take to the skies in the last quarter of the year. 

Bamboo miss October first flight target but say they will fly before the end of the year

Bamboo Airways had been planning to launch flights today, Wednesday 10th October, but the dream and reality didn't coincicde. Bamboo planes failed to take to the air today as the new Vietnamese airline seems to be stumbling in its rush to get licences approved.

“It can’t start its operations until it gets the licence from the Ministry of Transport,” The Deputy Director of Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Vo Huy Cuong,  told news agency Reuters on Wednesday after Bamboo Airways flights failed to take to the skies. 

The airline had made a big deal of its proposed schedule launch this October and back in March 2018, the group behind Bamboo, FLC signed an agreement to purchase 24 brand new Airbus A321neo aircraft. In July another order was placed, this time with the US manufacturer, Boeing for 20 Boeing 787-9 long-haul aircraft. 

Bamboo Airways Announce Commitment for 20 787 Dreamliners

Bamboo Airways confirmed today a commitment for 20 787-9 Dreamliners in a deal worth $4.9 billion.  If Boeing is able to deliver on schedule then Bamboo Airways can expect the first aircraft to arrive in April 2010 with the rest following until 2021

"We are excited to introduce these new 787 Dreamliners into our fleet as we prepare to launch long-haul operations to international markets," said Mr Trinh Van Quyet, Chairman of FLC Group, 100% owner of Bamboo Airways. "Our long-term vision is to connect Vietnam to key markets within Asia, Europe and North America and the capabilities of these new state-of-the-art Dreamliners will help us achieve our goals."

Bamboo Airways is a startup airline that plans to begin commercial operations in 2019 out of the capital city of Hanoi. The carrier plans to offer flights within Vietnam before expanding into other Northeast Asian markets such as China, Korea and Japan. "We are delighted to welcome Bamboo Airways to the Boeing family and we look forward to Bamboo joining the growing group of global airlines that fly the 787 Dreamliner," said Mr Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president of Asia Pacific and India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We are confident that the 787 will help launch Bamboo's long-haul operations and serve as the foundation of their success for many years to come."