VietJet Takes Step Towards Australian Entry

VietJet, the Vietnamese budget carrier nicknamed 'the bikini airline', has made significant strides in its plans to set up an Australian airline. Three months after reports first indicated VietJet's intentions, a brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 owned by the airline has appeared on Australia's aircraft register.

The plane, registered VH-T8A, is listed as being operated by Cherrie Aviation, a Melbourne company that was set up in August. VietJet has confirmed it has agreed to lease the aircraft to an Australian entity, which is now seeking regulatory approval to operate in Australia.

Public records show Cherrie Aviation Pty Ltd was registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) on 20 August 2026, just over a month before VH-T8A was added to the CASA register. This suggests that Cherrie Aviation was created specifically to receive VietJet's first Australian aircraft.

The registration of VH-T8A adds weight to a theory that Sydney Airport's slot coordinator had allocated 2,252 take-off and landing slots for the 26/27 Northern Winter season to an unnamed operator listed only as 'Blank', with the placeholder code YY. The accompanying seat allocation worked out to almost exactly 189 seats per flight.