HANOI, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has signed a contract with French aircraft maker ATR to purchase five new ATR72-500s, which will be delivered in late 2009,according to local newspaper Youth on Friday.

    After receiving the five planes, Vietnam Airlines, starting to operate ATR planes on short-haul flights in 1992 and currently having seven ATR72-200s and three ATR72-500s, will have the biggest ATR-72 fleet in the region.

    Vietnam Airlines, currently operating 46 aircraft of different kinds, plans to have a total fleet of 86 by 2015 and 110 by 2020.

    Now, Vietnam has three operational domestic carriers, including Vietnam Airlines which holds a domestic market share of over 80 percent, joint-stock Pacific Airlines, and Vietnam Air Services Company, an affiliate of Vietnam Airlines.

    Vietnam's air industry served nearly 7.9 million domestic and foreign passengers in the first 11 months of this year, posting a year-on-year rise of 15.7 percent. Meanwhile, the industry transported 119,700 tons of cargoes, up four percent, according to the country's General Statistics Office.

    Vietnam's aviation market is expected to annually grow 12-14 percent in the 2006-2010 period, 9-11 percent in the 2010-2015 period, and 10-12 percent in the 2015-2020 period, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam.