HCMC – Vietnamese air carriers are struggling to meet the soaring demand for flights during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, with many popular routes already sold out.
Despite the addition of new aircraft and leasing agreements to increase capacity, ticket shortages have been reported on several domestic routes, particularly those connecting important cities with smaller provinces.
The demand for air travel during Tet is exceptionally high, said a spokesperson for Vietnam Airlines. “We are working closely with authorities to adjust our flight schedules and meet the needs of our passengers.”
Popular routes such as HCMC to Hanoi, Hue, and Danang have seen notable shortages, with some flights sold out weeks in advance.
Carriers have been adding more flights and leasing additional aircraft to address the surge in demand. For instance, Vietnam Airlines has received three new aircraft and is in the process of leasing four more.
Vietnamese airlines have boosted seat capacity by 4% for the upcoming travel period, spanning January 29 to February 12, coinciding with the first to fifteenth days of the first lunar month.
They will provide over 6.9 million seats across domestic and international routes. Domestic routes have seen a 3.5% increase, while international routes have grown by 4.6%.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has reported that seat occupancy rates on domestic flights during Tet are expected to exceed 90% on many routes.
