The birds arrived aboard Vietnam Airlines flight VN604 from Bangkok on Monday, landing at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on a Boeing 787 aircraft.
The transfer forms part of the Red-Crowned Crane Conservation and Development Project at Tram Chim National Park for 2022-2032, which seeks to restore the population of the endangered birds in the Dong Thap Muoi wetlands.
Vietnam Airlines said it worked with authorities and conservation organisations in Vietnam and Thailand to develop a specialised transport plan for the cranes.
The airline deployed a wide-body Boeing 787 and implemented specialised procedures for transporting live animals, with ground handling, loading and transfer operations coordinated to minimise waiting times and reduce stress on the birds.
The transport was carried out in accordance with International Air Transport Association (IATA) standards for live animals, as well as regulations set by conservation and government authorities.
Dang Anh Tuan, deputy chief executive of Vietnam Airlines, said the carrier was honoured to support a programme of particular significance to Vietnam's conservation efforts.
"This is the second time Vietnam Airlines has transported red-crowned cranes from Thailand to Vietnam, contributing to efforts to restore the population of this rare species at Tram Chim National Park," he said.
The red-crowned crane is regarded as a symbol of Tram Chim National Park and the Dong Thap Muoi ecosystem. However, its numbers have declined sharply in recent years due to habitat degradation and other environmental pressures.
Authorities hope the cranes will support future breeding, reintroduction and population recovery efforts at Tram Chim National Park.
