Flight ticket prices in Vietnam are expected to slightly rise as local carriers and airports have applied new rates to multiple services.
Local carriers and airports have announced that they will start adjusting their service charges from April 1.
Accordingly, low-cost airline Vietjet will charge VND495,000 (US$22) per passenger per way instead of the previous VND352,000 ($15) for name changing service of domestic flights.
The fee will rise from VND630,000 ($28) to VND800,000 ($35) for international journeys.
The cost of changing dates will also increase from VND352,000 to VND374,000 ($16) for domestic flights, and from VND670,000 ($29) to VND800,000 for international flights.
Meanwhile, prices of Vietnam Airlines’ flight tickets for children will be set at 90 percent of the corresponding adult fares.
The carrier previously charged children tickets at 75 percent of the adult fares.
From April 1 to June 30, airport service charges at multiple airdromes, including Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Noi Bai in Hanoi, Da Nang in the namesake central city, and others, will also rise from VND80,000 ($3.5) to VND85,000 ($4).
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| Passengers book their flight tickets at an agency in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
The fee will become VND100,000 ($4.5) from July 1, in accordance with a plan set up by the Ministry of Transport.
Passenger and Baggage Security Screening Service Charges will also increase from VND12,000 ($0.5) to VND16,000 ($0.7) from April 1.
This is the second time that local airports have adjusted their service charges in 2018.
In late 2017, a hike in flight ticket prices was in place due to the increase of passenger and security service charges, as well as airline meal rates.
According to Vo Huy Cuong, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), flight service fees are determined by each carrier, while airport service charges are adjusted based on a plan of the transport ministry.
Local experts stated that the aviation sector should be more transparent in terms of service charges and explain to passengers why any increase is applied.
Meanwhile, a leader of a local airline affirmed that the fees are used to maintain and improve aviation service quality, while maximizing convenience for passengers.
Almost every carrier across the world has been collecting such service charges, the representative added.
By Duy Khang (Tuoi Tre News)