The flight route to Côn Đảo is currently only operated by VASCO using the ATR72 aircraft. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The infrastructure limitations of Côn Đảo Airport led to its inability to accommodate larger aircraft and restricted flight operations and consistently high airfares, according to the Ministry of Transport in response to queries from Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu's authorities.

Currently, Côn Đảo Airport can only receive smaller aircraft like the ATR72 and Embraer E190, rather than larger planes such as the A320/A321, which limits flight operations to this still largely unexplored southern island off the coast of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, known for breath-taking nature and historical legacy.

To address this situation, the Ministry of Transport is actively facilitating airlines in increasing flight frequencies, exploring plans for enhanced operations, and seeking appropriate aircraft types for Côn Đảo Airport.

According to the ministry’s report, after Bamboo Airways suspended its Hà Nội-Côn Đảo route using Embraer aircraft for restructuring purposes, only VASCO (a subsidiary of the national carrier Vietnam Airlines) is currently operating on routes connecting Côn Đảo with HCM City with a frequency of 16 round trips per day, and the Côn Đảo-Cần Thơ route with a frequency of five round trips per week.

"This has somewhat reduced the number of available tickets on routes to and from Côn Đảo, especially during peak periods such as festivals and tourism seasons, when demand exceeds supply, indirectly keeping airfares high," the ministry said.

Additionally, the ministry has instructed the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam (CAAV) to inspect the ticket sales activities of Vietnamese airlines. The review confirmed that airfares on routes to Côn Đảo comply with regulations on domestic passenger transport fares.

To protect passenger rights when using air transport services, the CAAV has advised passengers to purchase tickets through official sales channels of the airlines (such as ticket offices, agents, e-commerce sites, and apps) and to plan their ticket purchases early to have more options at reasonable prices.

The ministry and the CAAV have also requested that Vietnam Airlines increase flight operations to Côn Đảo and that other airlines actively seek suitable aircraft types for Côn Đảo Airport’s infrastructure while developing plans for expanding flight routes to Côn Đảo.

"The participation of other airlines in operating flights to and from Côn Đảo will help increase the supply of tickets on these routes, offering passengers more choices of air services and alleviating ticket shortages during peak periods, thus better meeting the travel needs of the public," said the ministry.

Regarding the proposal for financial support policies for residents when renting helicopters, the ministry stated that the operation of helicopter flights to Côn Đảo and other airports, as well as related transportation costs, is managed by the Việt Nam Helicopter Corporation, a unit under the Ministry of National Defence. — VNS