WASHINGTON, July 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Vietnam Airlines celebrated a historic event today witnessed by H.E. Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, with the flag carrier’s first 787 Dreamliner serving as a backdrop.

The event was attended by more than 200 delegates, ministers and ambassadors from Vietnam and the United States, as well as local and international media, and other invited guests at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The airplane on display is scheduled to be delivered to Vietnam Airlines later this month.

“I’m glad to introduce the very first Boeing 787 Dreamliner for Vietnam Airlines, marking the start of 19 of these new aircraft to expand our fleet and operations,” said Dr. Pham Viet Thanh, Chairman of Vietnam Airlines. “I believe that with its state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly, safe and convenient features, the 787 will offer Vietnam Airlines’ customers new experiences and a new quality of service.”

“Today we build on more than two decades of partnership with Vietnam Airlines and Boeing is honored to be joined by General Secretary H.E Nguyen Phu Trong on his historic first official visit to the United States,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. “We are proud to celebrate Vietnam Airlines’ first 787 Dreamliner and to continue to provide them with the best airplanes in the world.”

At the event, the two companies also signed a memorandum of collaboration toward the goal of Vietnam Airlines’ fleet replacement and expansion. Boeing has offered the airline eight 787-10 Dreamliners and eight 777-8Xs, which the airline acknowledged. Boeing and Vietnam Airlines will work together and report to government authorities before coming to official cooperation agreements in the future.

The 787 provides airlines with unmatched fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. The family uses 20 to 30 percent less fuel with 20 to 30 percent fewer emissions than the airplanes they replace. The 777X will include new engines, an all-new composite wing and will leverage technologies from the 787 Dreamliner, offering airlines more market coverage and revenue capability than the competition.

Vietnam Airlines, the national flag carrier of Vietnam, operates more than 360 daily flights with its young fleet of modern aircrafts. The airline, headquartered in Hanoi, will continue to expand its fleet with new and modern aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner family. Vietnam Airlines became an official member of SkyTeam Alliance in 2010 and was the first representative of the alliance in the Southeast Asia region.

Press release and picture: Boeing