Crystal Bay Airlines intends to launch operations with an initial fleet of three A321 family jets, focusing on international inbound leisure charters rather than domestic scheduled services, general director Bui Tuong Chi has revealed to local media outlet CafeF.

Bui outlined a "hybrid-leisure" model designed to support the tourism ecosystem of its parent, Crystal Bay Tourism Group. The start-up aims to offer approximately 400,000 seats annually in its initial phase, with management targeting a load factor of roughly 90%.

The long-term strategy involves expanding the fleet to 10 aircraft.

Regarding its network, Bui emphasised that Crystal Bay Airlines will not compete directly for the domestic market. Instead, the carrier will prioritise international inbound traffic from markets such as Russia, Central Asia, Mongolia, and Northeast Asia. It plans to utilise codeshare agreements with existing domestic carriers to facilitate internal connections for passengers arriving on its charters.

Integrated with in-house tour operator Crystal Bay Vietnam, the airline projects that ticket sales will generate only 25-35% of revenue, with the majority derived from all-inclusive holiday packages intended to mitigate demand seasonality.

As previously reported, the airline was incorporated on November 6, 2025, with a charter capital of VND300 billion dong (USD11.4 million), meeting the minimum capital requirement for a fleet of up to 10 aircraft. Crystal Bay Tourism Group holds a 94% stake, with Chairman Nguyen Duc Chi holding 5% and Bui holding 1%.

The start-up is the second new airline backed by a leisure-real estate group following Sun PhuQuoc Airways, which launched in 2025.