The national flagship earned total revenue of EUR165 million from the European market in 2008, up 20 percent against 2007. In the French market alone, the revenue was up 24 percent. On the routes connecting Paris to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the number of passengers increased by 87 percent on average and Vietnam Airlines began to bring in profits. Although the national flagship operates only 3 direct routes from Vietnam to France, Germany and Russia, it has opened ticket agencies in most Western, Northern and Central European countries.