VietJet Air risking backlash again after launching racy 2018 bikini calendar

A VIETNAMESE airline is risking backlash after launching a racy bikini calendar.

VietJet Air said the 2018 collection was created to "showcase the airline’s high-quality service" - but the stunt risks damaging plans to expand into conservative Muslim nations.

The calendar features a number of scantily clad women posing as staff in airport terminals, on the runway and inside planes.

Although none of the women appearing in the shots actually work for VietJet, the airline claimed the stunt was designed to showcase their "high-quality service" and "modern fleet".

A media representative for the airline said: “The hot and sexy models have always been the favourite of many VietJet passengers.

“Not only displaying their gorgeous looks, the models posed in different cabin crew and staff roles to showcase the airline’s high-quality service and friendly staff.”

It is not the first time the airline has used bikini-clad women in an attempt to boost their sales.

VietJet caused controversy throughout Vietnam just after its launch in 2011 when it used promotional images of women in bikinis, sparking the beginning of the nickname the "bikini airline".

And they found themselves in hot water in 2012 when five female bikini-clad flight attendants took part in a mid-flight dance posing as beauty pageant contestants.

The airline had not obtained permission from Vietnam's aviation authorities, and they were fined £678.20 (20 million Dong).

And now the airline's recent attempt to expand into predominantly Muslim countries has been met with resistance due to the flamboyant marketing techniques.

When they began talks in August last year to fly between Vietnam and Jakarta, concern was so high that Indonesia’s ambassador to Vietnam had to confirm publicly that VietJet’s flight attendants would not be dressed in bikinis like they had been back in 2012.