Airlines add more flights amid high holiday demand

310 flights will be added between Jan. 25 and Feb. 24 as air travel demand is expected to rise during the seven-day Lunar New Year holiday in early February, the group announced Tuesday morning.

This means Vietnam Airlines Group, which includes Pacific Airlines and Vietnam Air Services Company, will offer a total of 12,374 flights during the holiday season, up 10% from the same period last year.

The new flights will mostly be on domestic routes between Ho Chi Minh City/Hanoi and Da Nang, Hai Phong, Vinh, Thanh Hoa, Quy Nhon, Hue and Quang Nam.

The hike came after the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam asked airlines to increase their number of night flights to meet high demand as most seats have been occupied.

As of Jan. 12 Vietnamese airlines had sold 80-100% of seats departing HCMC and Hanoi between Jan. 24 and Feb. 25, the authority said.

Customers have been complaining that they have trouble booking tickets due to low supply and prices being higher than in previous years.