Vietnam Airlines positive despite drop in profits

VIETNAM Airlines (VNA) handled 131,220 tonnes of cargo in 2009, an increase of 2.3 per cent from 2008. Of this, 87,000 tonnes was domestic, an increase of nearly 13 per cent.VNA predicts that it will make VND32 trillion (US$1.78 billion) turnover this year, with a profit $8.3 million. This is 30 per cent more turnover than 2009’s $1.36 billion and a 42 per cent drop from 2008’s $14 million profit.The carrier blamed “epidemic outbreaks” for its drop in profits, referring to the global A (H1N1) swine flu pandemic.Nonetheless, VNA was optimistic and highlighted how it had managed to make a profit as well as increase its fleet and expand its routes in a year when so many other carriers had posted losses,.VNA is planning to triple its current fleet of 50 aircraft by 2020.