Passengers wait in line at a passport inspection desk of Nội Bài Airport in January. — VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hùng

HÀ NỘI — According to a report by the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam (CAAV), airports saw a surge in passenger traffic in January, with a total of 9.8 million passengers handled, an increase of 13.8 per cent compared to December.

The number of international passengers reached 2.3 million, a 10 per cent rise month on month, while the number of domestic passengers was 7.5 million, an increase of 15 per cent month on month.

Domestic airlines carried 4.85 million passengers, up 13.4 per cent, including 1.1 million international passengers and 3.75 million domestic ones.

About 112,000 tonnes of cargo were handled at the airports in the first month of 2023, up 11.6 per cent compared to December 2022.

During the seven-day Lunar New Year (Tết) holiday, airports across the country served more than 1.9 million passengers, an increase of 58 per cent, and more than 7,600 tonnes of cargo, down 11.6 per cent, compared to the same period of the Lunar New Year in 2022.

Airlines transported more than 967,000 passengers and 1,550 tonnes of cargo, an increase of 60.7 per cent and 28.4 per cent respectively, compared to the same period last year.

Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City, the biggest and busiest air hub in the country, handled 20,975 flights, an increase of about 26.5 per cent over the same period in 2022, and 3,147,014 passengers, up 61 per cent.

Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội, Việt Nam’s second biggest airport, handled 5,618 flights, an increase of 49 per cent compared to the same period of last year. Nearly 900,000 passengers traversed the airport during the festive period, up 71 per cent.

According to the CAAV, although the number of passengers increased during the Tết holiday, there were no serious congestions at airports, in particular at Tân Sơn Nhất and Nội Bài.

"Airports proactively prepared for the festive period and worked closely with airlines and ground service units to provide maximum support for passengers, especially large groups and last-minute guests," said the agency. — VNS