The fiery disintegration yesterday of Vietnam Airlines' Tupolev 134 flight at Phnom Penh's Pochentong international airport comes as the flag carrier is rapidly modernising its fleet.
The Tupolev was one of five ageing Russian-built jets still used by the airline, a rapidly expanding state-owned company that boasts four new Boeing 767s and 10 Airbus A320s on long-term lease.
The Tupolevs were once the staple of the fleet and marked a throwback to the days when international isolation meant Hanoi had to lean on the Soviet Union for aeronautical aid.
The planes look increasingly out of place at Vietnam's fast-developing airports and are mostly used on minor domestic routes.
Passengers had become used to the sight of dozens of discarded Tupolevs outside the terminals, windows cracked and paint falling off.
Although Tupolevs are known to offer a particularly smooth takeoff and landing, seats sometimes fold down when a plane hits turbulence and cabins frequently cloud with mist from air-conditioners during pressure changes.
