Air travel hectic on threshold of Lunar New Year

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 percent year-on-year and 21 percent as compared with normal days.

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Domestic air carriers expect to operate about 33,800 flights during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday. (Photo: VNA)

There will be some 24,200 domestic flights, representing increases of 2 percent from the same period last year and 27 percent compared with normal days; and 9,600 international flights, up 60 percent and 9 percent respectively.

The busiest routes include Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City, HCMC-Da Nang/Vinh/Dong Hoi/Quy Nhon/Chu Lai/Thanh Hoa/Hue/Tuy Hoa, and Can Tho-Vinh, and vice versa.

The airlines expect to fly 7.2 million passengers during Tet, the biggest holiday in the year in Vietnam, of them more than 5 million domestic, up 4 percent year-on-year.

As of January 4, flights between HCMC and Van Don district in the northern province of Quang Ninh had been fully booked, while the booking on other main routes ranged from 84.53 percent to 99 percent.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) issued a document allowing night flights during the Tet 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.

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