General Director of Vietnam Airlines Le Hong Ha speaks at the 2023 annual general meeting of shareholders. (Photo courtesy of the corporation) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam Airlines Corporation achieved positive financial results, with total consolidated revenue reaching 71.77 trillion VND (nearly 2.95 billion USD) in 2022.
The figure was announced at Vietnam Airlines’ 2023 annual general meeting of shareholders held last weekend.
The figure exceeded the plan set by the general meeting of shareholders by 20% and was 2.4 times higher than the results in 2021. Additionally, the number of consolidated losses decreased compared to the plan reported at the 2022 annual general meeting of shareholders.
In terms of passenger transportation, Vietnam Airlines carried 18.24 million passengers, surpassing the planned number by 7.5%. The international tourist output reached more than 2.47 million visitors, while domestic visitors reached 15.77 million. These figures exceeded the planned targets by 9% and represented a 14.2% increase compared to 2019.
The year 2022 presented significant challenges for the aviation industry, including rising input costs, particularly fuel costs. The average fuel price in 2022 was 124.4 USD per barrel, which was 14.1 USD higher than planned (110.26 USD per barrel). This increase led to fuel costs rising to approximately 2.4 trillion VND. Compared to 2019, fuel costs increased by about 7.6 trillion VND. Moreover, the USD appreciated significantly against other currencies in the past two decades, resulting in higher input costs due to the high USD/VND exchange rate.
Furthermore, 2022 was marked by major global changes in politics, economics, and society. The international air transport market began reopening on March 15, but many countries still had entry and quarantine regulations in place, which made passengers hesitant to travel. China's "zero-COVID" policy froze its market, and conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, along with the potential risk of a European economic recession, added to the challenging environment.
Despite these difficulties, Vietnam Airlines proactively developed plans for various scenarios and operated its production and business activities in line with market recovery. The company prioritised safety in epidemic prevention and control while balancing operational efficiency. By the end of 2022, Vietnam Airlines had restored its entire domestic flight network compared to pre-pandemic times and resumed operations on over 70% of international routes. Transport output exceeded the yearly plan by 7-8%.
The corporation also implemented cost-cutting measures to enhance efficiency. Total cost reductions in 2022 amounted to approximately 7.2 trillion VND, with efforts such as negotiating price reductions and implementing savings initiatives contributing to cost savings of around 4.29 trillion VND./.
