Vietnam and Turkey Sign Civil Aviation Cooperation MOU to Expand Passenger and Cargo Transport

Vietnam and Turkey signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on August 6th aimed at strengthening cooperation in the civil aviation sector between the two countries. The signing ceremony was held in Hanoi between the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Turkey (DGCA). The ceremony was attended by Enver İskurt, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, and Professor Dr. Kemal Yüksek, Director General of DGCA, from the Turkish side, and Mr. Uông Việt Dũng, Director of CAAV, along with representatives from Vietnamese airlines such as Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, and Sun Phuquoc Airways. In his speech, Mr. Uông Việt Dũng, Director of CAAV, emphasized that the Air Transport Agreement between the Governments of Vietnam and Turkey signed in 2015 has created an important legal foundation for the development of aviation services between the two nations. He noted that based on this agreement, bilateral air transport activities have seen significant positive developments in recent times, contributing to the promotion of trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. Representatives from the Turkish side also highly appreciated the cooperative relationship between the two countries in civil aviation. They affirmed that Vietnam holds a strategically important position in Southeast Asia with the potential to become a hub for passenger and cargo transport in the region. The Vietnam-Turkey relationship is increasingly being consolidated and expanded with many cooperation projects being effectively implemented. Both sides agreed to continue expanding cooperation into other fields in the coming time. Currently, Turkish Airlines operates direct flights connecting Istanbul with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, making Turkey one of the important gateways connecting Vietnam with Europe, the Middle East, and many other regions worldwide. In 2025, the airline operated over 1,100 flights, transporting more than 439,000 passengers and 31,600 tons of cargo. In the first six months of 2026, the airline continued to record impressive growth, with a 37.6% increase in flights, a 27.6% rise in passengers, and a 93.9% increase in cargo volume compared to the same period last year. Director Uông Việt Dũng also highly valued the role of the designated airlines of both countries, especially Turkish Airlines and Vietnam Airlines, in strengthening connectivity and promoting cultural, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and Turkey. Following constructive discussions, both sides agreed to sign the MOU to enhance passenger and cargo transport between the two countries. The MOU acknowledges the non-restriction of third and fourth freedom traffic rights for passengers and promotes cargo transport to meet the growing market demand. Both sides also agreed to expand cooperation into areas such as human resource training, aircraft maintenance, ground services, airport operations, and other areas of mutual interest.