Dhaka, April 28 -- Eight Airbus A330-200s that American Airlines retired at just six to seven years of age are about to fly again after spending more than half a decade in the desert.

Vietnamese leisure airline startup Sun PhuQuoc Airways is acquiring the jets as part of its plans to launch long-haul operations and expects to receive them between June 2026 and March 2027.

American Airlines had abandoned the planes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it retired its entire A330 fleet, alongside all Boeing 757s and 767s.

The move significantly constrained the carrier's long-haul growth capacity as travel demand rebounded strongly, with expected Boeing 787 Dreamliners delayed due to supply-chain constraints.

Now, after six years of...