First Creative Details Emerge for Vietnam’s New 'Resort in the Sky' Airline

Putting Bill Bensley at the creative helm is a bold statement of intent for Sun PhuQuoc Airways, but turning a lifestyle concept into a viable airline remains a challenging task.

A new Vietnamese airline is hoping to take flight by the end of the year: Sun PhuQuoc Airways (SPA) will be operated by a subsidiary of local real estate and hospitality developer Sun Group.

Much is still unknown about the venture, which intends to operate a hub-and-spoke network from Phu Quoc island in southern Vietnam.

But attendees at the Skift Asia Forum in Bangkok this month heard some exclusive details from Bill Bensley, creative director of Bensley Design Studios.

“We're going to build – within three years – this 40-fleet airline,” Bensley told Skift CEO and co-founder, Rafat Ali. “They want it to be very, very high-end … with half the plane in executive class and first class.”

Bensley spoke of his love for Viet