A Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) Friday officially launched a route linking Bandar Seri Begawan capital and the southern Ho Chi Minh hub, tapping prospective tourist sources.

RBA will serve three flights per week on the route and charge a round air fare at US$154 – an initial promotional rate.

Flights from Bandar Seir Begawan to HCMC will take off at 8.10pm on Monday and 2.40pm on Thursday and Sunday.

Return flights will depart at 7am on Tuesday and at 4.35pm on Thursday and Sunday from HCM City, and arrive two hours later.

Apart from targeting the traffic movement between Australia (Sydney) and Vietnam, the air service saw HCMC as an alternative shopping and sightseeing destination for Bruneians, according to an executive of the RBA.

RBA has coordinated with Brunei tourism industry to work out a strategy to develop tourism potentials between Vietnam and Brunei.

RBA has operated in Southeast Asia and Europe for the past 30 years and has daily flights to London, Dubai, Frankfurt and cities in Asia.

Vietnam is the sixth ASEAN country, following Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, where RBA offers air services.

Reported by Tran Hung – Translated by Ha Viet