Air travel hectic on threshold of Lunar New Year

HÀ NỘI – Domestic air carriers said they will operate about 33,800 flights during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, or between January 24 and February 2, up 14 per cent year-on-year and 21 per cent compared with the regular schedule.

There will be some 24,200 domestic flights, representing increases of two per cent from the same period last year and 27 per cent compared with the regular schedule; and 9,600 international flights, up 60 per cent and nine per cent respectively.

The busiest routes include Hà Nội – Hồ Chí Minh City, HCM City-Đà Nẵng/Vinh/Đồng Hới/Quy Nhơn/Chu Lai/Thanh Hóa/Huế/Tuy Hoà, and Cần Thơ-Vinh, and vice versa.

The airlines expect to fly 7.2 million passengers during Tết, the biggest holiday in the year in Việt Nam, of them more than five million are domestic, up four per cent year-on-year.

As of January 4, flights between HCM City and Vân Đồn District in the northern province of Quảng Ninh had been fully booked, while the booking on other main routes ranged from 84.53 per cent to 99 per cent.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) issued a document allowing night flights during the Tết holiday, and asked carriers to take actions to minimise flight delays and cancellations, and intensify control to ensure aviation safety.

The CAAV also urged ground and aviation service providers to develop specific plans and measures to ensure the capacity to provide services during the holiday, and ensure sufficient resources and equipment to serve flights in accordance with airlines’ operation plans. – VNS