Vietnam Airlines has announced the sale of one its existing fleet of aircraft back to the manufactureer as a first step to renewing its entire fleet of smaller aircaft.

The airline now plans to sell back all its seven ATR 72-200 aircraft that have been in service since 1992 to French-Italian producer ATR (Avions de Transport Régional or Aerei da Trasporto Regionale). These aircraft will be replaced by eleven ATR 72-500 which were ordered from ATR in 2007 and 2008 and are due for delivery within the next twelve months. Vietnam Airlines plans to build a fleet of 14 fuel efficient ATR 72-500 airplanes, by the end of 2010 for short flights between Hanoi and the northern mountains, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, as well as to Laos and Cambodia say loca media reports.

The new models have a seating capacity for 70 passengers