Atlas Air CEO says Vietnam operations could double if infrastructure improves

Atlas Air CEO says the US cargo carrier could double its Vietnam operation in the coming years if infrastructure bottlenecks are resolved. The company has recorded 1,269 flight movements in Vietnam so far this year, up more than 3,200 per cent from 2016.

Atlas Air could double the size of its Vietnam operation over the next several years if the country improves its aviation infrastructure, CEO said in an interview with VnExpress International.

The US-based cargo carrier has recorded 1,269 flight movements in Vietnam so far this year, up over 3,200 per cent from 2016. It currently runs about 12 weekly frequencies to Hanoi. Steen said that level of activity is probably close to the maximum the existing infrastructure can handle, even though demand could support further growth.

Atlas needs more parking stands that can accommodate large freighters such as the Boeing 747-8, along with warehouses and ground handling capacity to prepare pallets and containers for export. Digital platforms for exchanging transport documents and other shipment information are also essential, Steen said. While new facilities are being built, Vietnam could make better use of existing capacity by improving coordination, communication and operational planning.

On the demand side, expanding manufacturing creates more business for operators connecting Vietnam’s factories with overseas markets. AI investment and data-centre construction are adding to that demand, creating time-sensitive shipments of semiconductors and other high-value electronic components. Most freight on Atlas’ Vietnam operations consists of high-tech products, Steen said, naming HP and Dell among the manufacturers. Through July, Atlas carried 39 per cent of cargo flown nonstop from Vietnam to the US by American carriers.

Vietnam’s broader air cargo market is also expanding. Cargo throughput at Vietnamese airports reached approximately 1.6 million tonnes in the first 10 months, up 9.6 per cent from the same period last year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. Although air cargo represents a small share of total freight volume, it accounts for about 30 per cent of the value of Vietnam’s imports and exports across all transport modes, the authority said.

To accommodate growing demand, Vietnam is investing in new airports. In the south, Long Thanh International Airport is expected to begin commercial operations on 24 Dec 2026, with its first phase designed to handle 1.2 million tonnes of cargo annually. In the north, Gia Binh International Airport is targeting commercial operations by the end of 2028 and is planned to handle 1.6 million tonnes of cargo a year by 2030.