No-holds-barred Vietjet founder Madame Thao sizes up Qantas and Virgin
by Ayesha de Kretser · Australian Financial ReviewAyesha de KretserSenior reporter
Oct 23, 2026 – 5.00am
Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao doesn’t do things by halves. Over a decade, the Russian-speaking, 56-year-old Vietjet founder has expanded her aviation empire across Asia and seen her fortune march past $1 billion.
For Madame Thao, as she is best known, air travel isn’t “just a means of transportation”. It is a “bridge connecting dreams, knowledge and opportunities”, she once told a publication produced by the Vietnamese government and its Department of Grassroots Information.
Loading...
Save
Log in or Subscribe to save article
Share
Copy link
Copied
Copy link
Copied
Share via...
Gift this article
Subscribe to gift this article
Gift articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.
Already a subscriber? Login
Read More
Ayesha de KretserSenior reporterAyesha de Kretser is a senior reporter with The Australian Financial Review covering the aviation and tourism sectors. She has previously reported on banking, mining and commodity markets. Connect with Ayesha on Twitter. Email Ayesha at ayesha.dekretser@afr.com.au
Latest In Transport
Fetching latest articles