Vietnam AIrlines will completely restore the domestic airway network from June. — Vietnam AIrlines

HÀ NỘI — Members of the Vietnam Airlines Group, including Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and Vietnam Air Service Company (Vasco) plan to increase the frequency of flights from May 16 to meet the increasing travel demand of passengers after the COVID-19 outbreak ends.

The move is under the direction of the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), in which the domestic airway network is expected to be completely restored from June.

The national carrier Vietnam Airlines will increase to 23 flights per day from the current 17 flights on routes between Hà Nội and HCM City, eight flights per day on routes between Đà Nẵng and Hà Nội and HCM City, seven flights between HCM City and Phú Quốc, five flights between HCM City to Hải Phòng, Thanh Hóa and Vinh, and one to four flights on the other routes.

Vietnam Airlines said it would restore its entire domestic flight network after re-operating two routes between Đà Nẵng, Vân Đồn and Cần Thơ. The firm is studying to open new routes to diversify products, meeting the needs of passengers and promoting growth again after the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
From May 7, budget carrier Jetstar Pacific will operate one flight per day connecting HCM City with Đà Nẵng, Vinh, and Thanh Hóa, four flights per week between HCM City and Pleiku, Chu Lai and Đồng Hới on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The airline will monitor the situation of market demand to increase flights in the coming days, especially on the route between Hà Nội and HCM City.

Meanwhile, Vasco has increased the frequency of flights between HCM City and Côn Đảo to six-eight flights per day. It plans to operate regular flights of two-three flights per week on routes between Hà Nội and Điện Biên, HCM City and Rạch Giá and Cà Mau, and Cần Thơ and Côn Đảo, each.

A Vietnam Airlines representative said Vietnam Airlines offers passengers special discounts with fares from only VNĐ199,000 (US$8.5) per way (equivalent to VNĐ689,000 including taxes and fees) on many routes. The sale programme lasts for five days from May 7 to May 12, applying to tickets departing from May 7 to June 30.

In order to ensure the prevention of COVID-19, the firm said it still complies with the strict standards of the ministries of Health and Transport, in which passengers are instructed to check body temperature and declare their health before the flight and wear a mask during the flight. Airlines continue to disinfect aircraft and do not serve meals on domestic flights as prescribed by the CAAV. — VNS