Vietravel Airlines to resume domestic flights

The carrier, which belongs to leading tourism company Vietravel, announced it will reopen ticket sales from 9 a.m. Monday, with the first flight taking off next Thursday.

The flights will depart to and from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and beach tourist hotspots such as Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and Quy Nhon.

The company said it will gradually increase its flight frequency from now to the end of the month to meet higher travel demand during the year-end peak season, including the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday two months from now.

Vietravel Airlines was launched at the end of Dec. 2020 and was one of the airlines that allowed to operate amid the turbulence created by the pandemic.

After about half a year of operation, the carrier had to reduce its frequency and also closed operations since late August due to Covid-19 resurgence. It resumed business on Oct. 18.

According to the new restructuring plan, Vietravel plans to operate as a holding company instead of engaging in operating activity itself.

The company has invested additional capital in the carrier this year, raising its total investment from VND700 billion (over $30 million) to VND1.3 trillion (over $56 million) for the 2021-2025 period.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has said that domestic carriers will increase flight frequency in the coming time.

Budget carrier Vietjet Air has increased its frequency to six flights a day on each of the Hanoi-HCMC, Hanoi-Da Nang, and Da Nang-HCMC routes.

Another budget carrier, Bamboo Airways, will increase its frequency to 4-5 daily flights on the Hanoi-HCMC route from mid-December.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will operate about 140 flights per day on nearly 40 domestic routes. On the Hanoi – HCMC route, Vietnam Airlines operates five flights per day and its affiliate Pacific Airlines flies two flights per day. From Dec. 15, each airline will increase frequency on this route with one more flight per day.