Lao transport companies last week doubled their bus services from Vientiane to major Vietnamese cities to 20 trips per day on average in order to meet the increasing travel demand during the Vietnamese traditional lunar new year (Tet) holiday.

Director of the Cross-border Transport Company Sisamone said his company increased its trips from 8 to 16 per day as a large number of Vietnamese people want to return home to welcome Tet.

According to Bounthanorm, Deputy Director of the Souddara Transport Company, the company added 4-5 trips from Vientiane to Vietnam per day.

The national flag carrier Lao Airlines said the number of passengers on its Vientiane-Hanoi route has sharply increased since February 8. To meet the increasing demand, the airline replaced 56-seat planes with 70-seat ones./.