Korean Air Adds Hanoi Freighter

Korean Air started 747-400 freighter service to Hanoi this week, the carrier announced in a strong signal of Vietnam’s growing prominence in Asia trade.

The world’s largest international freight airline, Korean started operating to Hanoi four times a week, twice with direct flights out of Seoul Incheon International Airport and twice with connections through Singapore.

The carrier says it is tapping into the growing industrial development Vietnam is attracting in the North, where multinational manufacturers including Canon, Toyota and Nike have set up operations.

The flight to the North adds to Korean Air’s existing freighter service to Ho Chi Minh City in the South and follows new ocean services that container lines such as APL have launched to Vietnam in recent months.

It also comes as the country’s first private air cargo operator, Trai Thien Air Cargo, says it is preparing to launch regional operations in the first quarter of 2010 with converted 737 freighter aircraft.