Air Vietnam – News in the 70s

Nguyen Tan Trung, president of Air Vietnam, has been named chairman of the Board of Directors of the Republic of Vietnam flag carrier. His nomination by board members to the post, which has traditionally been held by a cabinet minister, has been approved by the Vietnamese Government.

Calling 1974 ‘‘a year of challenge for everyone in the airline business,” Mr. Nguyen Tan Trung said he was persuaded to accept the additional responsibility with Air Vietnam in consideration of the national interest and in view of the prospects of the development of the company. “I am confident in the success of our airline and the future of our country,” he said.

Mr. Nguyen Tan Trung, 62, has been an executive of Air Vietnam for 19 of the airline’s 23 years of operation. Almost one hundred Air Vietnam senior staff and employees from various departments of the airline attended a service seminar in Saigon last month to learn about current operations and future marketing plans for the Republic of Vietnam flag carrier.

The two day session was hosted by Air Vietnam’s Chairman of the Board and President, Mr. Nguyen Tan Trung, who welcomed the participants and led the discussions which followed each of the presentations. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thu moderated the seminar and introduced the various speakers who explained the work of the airline’s many departments and illustrated how their interaction and cooperation ensures the smooth and efficient operation of Air Vietnam.

Papers and illustrated presentations were given by the airline’s director of planning, Mr. Dang Meo Ty; the director of operations, Mr. Vu Trung Nam; the director of the technical centre, Mr. Nguyen Tranh Diep; the head of the tour and travel office, Mr. Nguyen Xich Hao; and regional managers Mr. Tran Tho Phuoc, of Singapore, and Mr. Tran Van Lai, of Bangkok.

Guest speakers included Mr. Jean-Pierre Nuquet, of Air France and Prof. Peter Stephenson, lecturer at the University of Singapore, who discussed marketing for an airline; Mr. Alan Topping, of Pan American World Airways and Mr. Peter Bostock, of Burson-Marsteller, who explained the importance of airline public relations; and Mr. G.L. Kangeiser, of Flying Tiger Line, who spoke on the potential of air cargo marketing.

Adding to its fleet of Boeing-727s, Air Vietnam has exercised its option to purchase a Boeing-707 jet which the airline has leased from Pan American since 1973. The plane, named ‘Cooperation in Peace,’’ was turned over to the Vietnamese flag carrier during January. In a statement following the signing of the contract, Nguyen Tan Trung, president of Air Vietnam, called the purchase “‘a symbol of our confidence in our country.”

The plane was first used in March 1973 to take Republic of Vietnam President Nguyen Van Thieu on his state visit to the United States and Europe. Since last April, the plane has been flying Air Vietnam’s high volume Saigon-Tokyo route, via Hong Kong, Taipei, and Osaka.

A group of Vietnamese ticketing agents received comprehensive training and guidance in correct fare calculations and ticketing during an advanced course at the Air Vietnam head office in Saigon recently.

Under the supervision of Mr. Marc Delattre, a guest instructor from Air France, 19 airline and travel agency employees participated in the five-day workshop.

Different fare structures, as well as common mistakes made in calculating them, were illustrated and explained. Mr. Delattre, who has previously taught similar courses in South America, Africa, and other countries in Asia praised the Vietnamese students for their interest and exacting efforts in correct ticketing.