Sun PhuQuoc Airways has set out the timeline for the arrival of eight former American Airlines Airbus A330-200 aircraft that have been in storage since 2020. The Vietnamese leisure carrier confirmed the plan on August 10, 2026.
According to the airline, the first four A330s are expected to join the fleet during 2026, with the remaining four arriving within the first four months of 2027. Sun PhuQuoc Airways said the aircraft represent “an important step” for the carrier “to expand its network from regional routes to further international markets.”
The widebodies are intended to bridge a gap in the airline's longer-term fleet plan. In February 2026, Sun PhuQuoc Airways ordered up to 40 Boeing 787 Dreamliners as part of its stated vision of “bringing Phu Quoc to the world.” The carrier expects its brand-new Boeing 787-9s from 2031, so the second-hand A330s allow it to begin long-haul flying well before the Dreamliners arrive.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways said it plans to use the A330s to “progressively strengthen routes to South Korea, Russia, Kazakhstan, Japan and Australia, while exploring expansion to several destinations in Europe.” That points to an ambitious international push for a carrier that has so far concentrated on regional flying.
The aircraft themselves have had a long pause. American Airlines placed the eight A330-200s into long-term storage in 2020, when global air travel collapsed during the pandemic. According to Planespotters.net, the jets have since been parked across facilities including Marana Pinal Airpark (MZJ) in Arizona and other US storage sites. The airframes are around 13 years old and have spent a significant share of their lives in storage.
Returning long-stored widebodies to service is a substantial undertaking, requiring heavy maintenance, inspections and reactivation work before the aircraft can carry passengers. For Sun PhuQuoc Airways, though, the payoff is the ability to launch international long-haul routes years ahead of its incoming Dreamliner fleet.
Sources: AeroTime. Featured image: AI-generated by AviationShop. By Elena Vargas.
Comments
Loading comments…