News and Events

To meet the increasing demand for travel during the upcoming April 30th and May 1st holiday, which is expected to last for five consecutive days, Vietnam Airlines will add more than 100 domestic and international flights, corresponding to over 15,000 seats. This capacity enhancement for the upcoming peak period is part of the airline's efforts to optimize the use of its existing fleet and introduce new flights during early morning and late evening hours on high-demand routes.

Accordingly, the airline will provide a total of 575,000 seats and operate 2,900 flights during the peak period from April 26 to May 2. Compared to the same period last year, the total number of domestic and international seats has increased by more than 10% and 12%, respectively.

Tourist routes such as those between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, Hue, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Phu Quoc, and Con Dao will see the most significant increase in domestic flight capacity. For international routes, Vietnam Airlines is focusing on flights to Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Currently, many flights to tourist destinations during the peak period are already 70% full.

The aviation industry is currently facing a shortage of aircraft, mainly due to engine manufacturers recalling engines for inspection and repair. Additionally, the global supply chain crisis and the lack of skilled aviation technicians after Covid-19 have led to shortages of spare parts and delays in routine maintenance and engine servicing.

Moreover, airlines are confronting the challenge of rising input costs. Fuel prices, which account for about 30% of the airline's total costs, are currently above $100. The costs of aircraft leasing and maintenance services have also significantly increased.

In this context, to ensure the availability of flights to serve passengers during the peak holiday and upcoming summer vacation, Vietnam Airlines has coordinated with partners and relevant agencies to implement a series of solutions starting from the end of 2023.

Accordingly, Vietnam Airlines has proactively advanced the schedule for routine maintenance of its aircraft to ensure that resources are ready for peak operation. The airline is also rearranging flight schedules for optimized operations, increasing resources, and focusing on optimizing ground service processes to reduce turnaround times.

Notably, the airline is intensifying night and early morning flights to add more available seats, ensuring enough capacity to meet the travel needs of the public. The total number of early morning and late-night flights during the summer peak month of 2024 is expected to increase by nearly 40% compared to the same period in 2023.

Regarding its fleet, Vietnam Airlines is adding wide-body aircraft for domestic operations to alleviate supply pressures on domestic routes and is wet-leasing aircraft for the summer peak period. Additionally, the airline is working with manufacturers to expedite the delivery of Boeing 787-10 and Airbus A320NEO aircraft to timely supplement its capacity.