Vietnam’s aviation authorities have approved plans to open up new domestic routes as part of a general upgrading of the country’s rapidly developing air network.
The four new routes will be Meova in the northern province of Ha Giang to Noi Bai airport in the capital Hanoi; Phu Bai in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue to Pleiku in the Central Highlands; Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City to Baven in the Gulf of Thailand and the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Can Tho to Buon Ma Thuot in the Central Highlands.
The Meova–Hanoi route will help shorten flying times between Hanoi to Kunming in China by 10 minutes.
Pham Xuan Duc, deputy general director of Vietnam Airlines, said that his airline would start flying the new routes from July 2.
Analysts say that the shorter routes will help reduce flight costs and result in lower ticket prices.
Meanwhile, the aviation authority is in negotiations with Laos, Cambodia and China to launch new air routes that would reduce the number of flights to Ho Chi Minh City and Danang, while boosting flights to Can Tho.
For further details see, www.vietnamairlines.com
Kenny Coyle
