Bikini-clad air hostesses in India soon as Vietnam airline announces plans

India will soon have Vietnam based low-cost "bikini airline" running in the country. As the title suggests, the flight will have bikini-clad air hostesses on board.

VietJet Air is a Vietnam-based airline known for having air hostesses in bikinis and swimsuits. The airline will start its operations in India between July and August this year, the airline authorities announced in an official statement, DNA reported.

The airline will offer direct flights from New Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City four times a week. Run by a female entrepreneur, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, the "bikini airline" is both highly popular as well as controversial for the same reason.

The massive popularity for the obvious reason of having air hostesses dressed in bikinis has made its owner the first ever woman billionaire in Vietnam. However,  it received backlash from several sections of the society for the unusual practice.

The DNA report stated that VietJet currently travels in 60 routes, both domestically and internationally, and the company had witnessed a rise of 41.8 percent in its revenue from 2016 to 2017.

Apart from the bikini-clad air hostesses, the airline also makes news for its sizzling annual calendar that features bikini models. While this concept of "bikini airline" has been proving to be very profitable for the company, many found the practice inappropriate.

Earlier in 2002, VietJet had raised eyebrows by reportedly organizing a bikini ramp walk on air. Five local beauty pageant contestants were taken on board for the fashion show, following which a fine of 20 million dongs was imposed on the airline for breaching safety guidelines.

In yet another instance, the airline was criticized for reportedly carrying semi-nude models in the flight, which also had Vietnam's U-23 football team players. Pictures of the models entertaining the athletes had gone viral on social media, following which the airline received flak.

Meanwhile, social media users from India have expressed their excitement over 'bikini airline' making debut in the country.