Fewer Hanoi-HCM City flights but fares stable
Hanoi (VNA) - Domestic airlines operating on the popular Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route have reduced the number of their flights due to technical and staff difficulties, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) reported on October 5.
Nonetheless, it assured
passengers that the domestic carriers were adhering to the flexible fare
mechanism and not exceeding the ceiling level regulated.
The announcement followed
recent complaints about lack of seats and surging fares despite this being the
off-peak season.
Under existing regulations
that went into effect in September 2015, the ceiling price of a one way Hanoi-HCM
City ticket is 3.2 million VND (140.5 USD), excluding taxes, fees and other
service charges.
Airlines said they offer
more than 10 price levels on that popular route with the maximum net price of a
one way ticket, ranging from 3.15 million VND on Vietnam Airlines (VNA), 3
million VND on Jetstar Pacific (JPA), and 2.87 million VND on Vietjet
Air (VJA).
Although fuel prices have
increased since 2015, Vietnamese airlines are still selling tickets within the
regulated price range. “If the airlines violate the price regulations, the
authorised body will step in and fine them in accordance with the law,” said
the CAAV.
In response to passenger
complaints of a recent drop in the number of flights and increase in ticket
prices, especially on the Hanoi-HCM City route where few discounts are
available, CAAV explained that budget carrier Jetstar Pacific had cancelled a
series of flights due to staff shortage, especially pilots.
Meanwhile, budget carrier
Vietjet Air also reduced its flight frequency from an average 25 one-way
flights a day to 16 flights per day due to the planned maintenance of aircraft
and increased international flights.
Overall, according to CAAV
data, from late September to early October, there were an average of 47 one-way
Hanoi-HCM City flights, 85.5 percent more than the same period last year.
Vietnam Airlines accounted for 25 flights (increased by 85.5 percent), while
VietJet Air has 16 flights (down 15.7 percent), and Jestar Pacific operates six
flights (down 53.8 percent). Flights are totally booked and passengers have to
postpone travel in some cases.
In order to meet demand,
the CAAV has directed airlines to increase the number of flights. By
mid-October, Vietnam Airlines plans to add 2-3 flights per day between HCM City
and Hanoi, on average. It will also use larger aircraft on several of the
flights. Vietjet Air is planning to add 4-5 flights per day, to an average of
20 flights on the route next week.
Jetstar Pacific will not
add flights, for now, but has been working closely with Vietnam Airlines to
ensure those having bought tickets get to their destination despite the
decreased flights. Starting in November it hopes to operate 8-9 flights on this
route, on average.-VNA