Airlines are rushing to lease additional aircraft to meet the travel demand during the upcoming peak period.
The aviation industry is preparing for the peak season of Tet At Ty 2025. Photo: Diep Anh.
The Vietnam Airlines Group, including Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, announced plans to provide more than 650,000 extra seats, equivalent to over 3,000 additional flights, on domestic routes in Vietnam from January 13, 2025, to February 12, 2025 (the 15th day of the 12th lunar month to the 15th day of the first lunar month).
This increase will bring the total number of seats across the Vietnam Airlines Group’s domestic network to over 2.15 million, corresponding to more than 11,000 flights.
The additional flights will mainly focus on high-demand routes during the Lunar New Year, such as those between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, and Vinh; and between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hue, Thanh Hoa, Quy Nhon, Pleiku, Chu Lai, Dong Hoi, and Vinh.
To accommodate the surge, Vietnam Airlines Group has planned to lease four additional Airbus A320/A321 aircraft, including two wet-leased planes (with crew). Each aircraft is expected to operate approximately 180 flights during this period.
The group noted that many flights during the Lunar New Year already have a booking rate of 70–80%, especially on routes from Ho Chi Minh City to northern and central provinces such as Thanh Hoa, Quy Nhon, Chu Lai, and Dong Hoi. Passenger volume is expected to grow further in the coming month.
Previously, Vietravel Airlines reported that it had sold over 55% of its available seats for the peak travel period of Lunar New Year 2025 (January 14–February 12, 2025). Popular routes include Ho Chi Minh City to Quy Nhon, Da Nang, and Hanoi.
“The pace of ticket purchases for Lunar New Year 2025 has been slower than in previous years, likely due to economic challenges and customers delaying purchases in hopes of price drops,” a representative from Vietravel Airlines explained.
However, the airline anticipates high travel demand for Lunar New Year 2025, with last-minute bookings expected to increase significantly, partly due to the extended 9-day holiday period for workers. Vietravel Airlines plans to add capacity on routes such as Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang to meet the increased demand.
Similarly, a representative from Bamboo Airways stated that the airline is actively selling tickets for the Lunar New Year period and working to resume certain routes to accommodate the surge in travel. Additionally, Bamboo Airways is collaborating with partners to bring in new aircraft before the Lunar New Year 2025.
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Source: Vietnam Insider