Welcoming summer tourists, airfares are gradually “hot”

Airfares soar

Visiting the ticketing website of an airline, Ms. Tran Thi Ly (38 years old, from Nghe An) was surprised when the airfare in the summer was quite expensive. “I booked 4 one-way tickets for the Ho Chi Minh City – Vinh route on June 11 of Vietnam Airlines, but it cost me nearly 10 million. Last week, when I checked the airline’s website, I saw that it was only nearly 2 million/ticket. Because it’s not known yet. Due to the schedule, I was not in a hurry to book, I did not expect the ticket price to increase so quickly, “said Ly.

Mr. Phan Long (District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) said that his group of friends planned to go to Phu Quoc next weekend. For reference, the ticket prices of airlines have increased by an average of 500,000 – 800,000 VND compared to weekdays. Afraid that ticket prices would continue to increase, Mr. Long took advantage of booking tickets of a cheap airline with the price of nearly 4 million/round trip from Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc.

Survey of PV, on ticket sales channels of airlines, air tickets are “hot” every day. In particular, fares from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi connecting tourist destinations are increasing.

Accordingly, for the Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc leg, on June 17, Vietnam Airlines’ economy class tickets range from 1.3 million to 2 million / ticket and the business class ticket price is 4.3 million / ticket. Meanwhile, on the same flight route, Vietjet Air is selling tickets with prices ranging from 1.5 million to 3 million VND depending on ticket class/class. This price has increased from 500,000 – 800,000 VND compared to weekdays.

Similarly, on the Hanoi – Phu Quoc round-trip route during the peak summer season (flying on June 17, returning on June 19), Vietnam Airlines is selling tickets for nearly 7 million VND/round trip. Meanwhile, on the same flight route, Vietjet is selling for more than 3 million dong for a return ticket.

Bamboo Airways passengers also have to pay the same price as Vietjet Air on this journey. If flying on a weekday (not a weekend), passengers can save millions of dong for a return ticket.

Similarly, surveying ticket prices on routes connecting other tourist destinations, airfares also increased compared to weekdays. Tickets for the weekend and mid-June are more expensive.

It is forecasted that in the coming time, domestic flight tickets to destinations such as Phu Quoc, Quy Nhon, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Da Lat … will increase as people take advantage of summer travel.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, the aviation industry has gradually recovered after the epidemic thanks to the increased number of passengers. Specifically, in the first 6 months of the year, the number of passengers through airports reached 40.7 million, up 56.8% over the same period in 2021. Of which, international arrivals reached 1.8 million, an increase of 904 ,6%. Domestic visitors reached 38.9 million, up 52.6%.

Domestic airlines transported 20.1 million passengers, up 56.1% over the same period in 2021. In which, the number of international passengers reached 667,000, up 1,033%. Domestic visitors reached 19.5 million, up 51.8%.

Airlines massively increase flights

Mr. Dinh Viet Thang – Director of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam said that in 2 years affected by the Covid-19 pandemic (2020, 2021), except for the periods when the whole country implements social distancing to prevent and control the spread of the virus. The domestic market is always a lifeline for Vietnamese airlines when the international market is almost frozen.

During the period when the epidemic is temporarily controlled, the demand for domestic air transportation is equivalent to, or even higher than in 2019, typically in the summer of 2020 or the holidays of April 30 and January 1. 5 year 2021.

Thang said that airlines are taking advantage of this opportunity, focusing on exploiting the domestic market, meeting transportation needs, thereby having timely financial resources to make up for the shortfall caused by the impact of the pandemic. of the pandemic. The huge demand potential of the domestic market is really an opportunity for airlines to exploit, utilize and develop their operations in the coming years.

It is known that at present, airlines are planning to increase flights during the peak summer season. A representative of Vietnam Airlines Group (including 3 airlines Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, VASCO) said that from June 1 to August 15, the unit will provide more than 7.1 million domestic and international flight seats, respectively. more than 36,000 flights.

Among them, Vietnam Airlines Group provided nearly 6.3 million seats in the domestic market, corresponding to more than 32,400 flights, up 10% over the same period before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019.

The busiest flight routes are between Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City with nearly 160 flights per day connecting these cities. Every day, there will also be hundreds of flights connecting famous tourist destinations across the country such as: Phu Quoc, Cam Ranh, Da Lat, Hue, Quy Nhon, Dong Hoi, Tuy Hoa, Con Dao… Vietnam Airlines Group will open operates approximately 430 domestic flights per day during the peak summer season.

Besides, Vietravel Airlines also said that it will increase every day by 2 more flights Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City, 2 flights Hanoi – Da Nang, one flight Hanoi – Quy Nhon, 1-2 flights from Ho Chi Minh City – Da Nang/Quy Nhon/Phu Quoc.

“Domestic flights in the period from June to August are over 80% full. Flights Hanoi – Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc are the most interested this summer”, the leader of this airline said. .

In addition, Bamboo Airways also decided to increase the number of seats by 15% compared to the current one, mainly on routes to tourist destinations Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon… and the main route Hanoi – HCMC – Da Nang.

Meanwhile, Vietjet Air has also increased the sale of air tickets and increased the load to serve passengers during the peak summer season. Accordingly, Vietjet re-operates a series of routes connecting Can Tho with Nha Trang, Da Lat, Vinh, Thanh Hoa, Hai Phong, Da Nang, and Hanoi and international routes connecting Can Tho with Taipei (Taiwan). Loan, China), Seoul (Korea), Bangkok (Thailand).

Economist Ngo Tri Long said that the peak of summer 2022 has just begun. The high demand for air travel and the completion of upgrades and repairs by two major airports will be an important prerequisite for aviation to recover from the pandemic.