HANOI, April 24 (Reuters) - Vietnam's budget airline Vietjet Air will take first delivery of an A330neo order made last year as it looks to expand into European markets, board member Philipp Rosler said on Friday.
* Vietjet ordered 20 A330neo aircraft last year during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Vietnam.
* The airline is looking to launch direct flights to Europe, with the Czech Republic, Germany, Britain and France as potential destinations, Rosler told Reuters.
* The launch will depend on the delivery of wide-body aircraft capable of long-haul flights, Rosler added, noting that delivery timelines are determined by Airbus.
* Vietjet also wants to help develop Ho Chi Minh City into an Asia-Pacific aviation finance hub, aiming to bring aircraft financing, leasing, insurance and capital markets activities closer to fast-growing aviation markets, rather than relying on European centres such as Ireland, Roesler said.
* Last month Vietjet said it had adjusted its flight schedule due to potential fuel shortages, but Rosler said the carrier's operations remained normal.
* Two COMAC aircraft previously leased by Vietjet for flights to tourist island Con Dao are no longer operating on its network, he said, adding that it would continue to deploy the Chinese-made aircraft, particularly on routes to China.
* Vietjet in April signed a financial lease agreement for 10 COMAC C909 narrow body aircraft with China's SPDB Financial Leasing.
* Vietjet currently operates a fleet of about 135 aircraft, mostly from Airbus, and has orders for around 600 planes from Airbus and Boeing, to be delivered over several years.
(Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by David Stanway) -- Reuters
