HCMC – Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Vietnam’s busiest aviation hub, is preparing for the Lunar New Year (Tet) travel rush late this month.
The airport expects to handle more than 6,100 flights and nearly 900,000 passengers during the height of the long Tet holiday. According a decision by the prime minister, employees and officials in the public sector will have nine straight days off for Tet, from January 25 to February 2.
The projected figures mark an 8.7% increase in flights and a 4% rise in passenger numbers compared to last year, according to data compiled as of January 15.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) anticipates the airport will manage an average of 860 flights daily from January 23 to January 29, peaking at 901 flights on January 24. Daily passenger traffic is expected to reach approximately 150,000 during peak days, a 12.7% year-on-year increase, reported the Vietnam News Agency.
During the first six days of the Lunar New Year, daily flight operations at Tan Son Nhat are forecast to range between 830 and 900. The highest traffic is projected for the fifth day of Tet, with 917 flights and over 155,000 passengers, a 4% increase over the same period last year.
To meet the surge in travel demand, the CAAV has coordinated with airlines and related units to implement measures such as increasing flight frequencies, adjusting takeoff and landing schedules, deploying additional standby aircraft, and flexibly managing operations.
Vietnamese air carriers have expanded their fleets by adding 14 aircraft for the holiday period, bringing the total to 212. Vietnam Airlines leads with 99 planes, followed by Vietjet Air with 98, Bamboo Airways with eight, Pacific Airlines with three, and Vietravel Airlines with four. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to lease an additional Airbus A321 for operations and as a backup.
Between January 21 and February 9, Tan Son Nhat will increase its hourly takeoff and landing capacity to 48 flights during the day and 46 at night, an 18% rise from regular days. This adjustment will enable airlines to add more flights to accommodate demand.
Airlines have also ramped up night operations. Vietnam Airlines plans to operate over 1,500 night flights, accounting for 14% of its total schedule, while Vietjet Air will conduct 1,590 night flights, representing 17%, primarily on routes from HCMC to northern and central provinces.
To further facilitate operations, the CAAV has directed several regional airports, including Tho Xuan, Dong Hoi, Chu Lai, Phu Cat, Pleiku, and Tuy Hoa, to operate round-the-clock to support nighttime flights. Agencies have been tasked with reviewing procedures and ensuring sufficient infrastructure and manpower to maintain smooth operations during the holiday rush.