(PLO)- Although the peak of Tet has passed, the ticket prices for many domestic routes are still as high as on Tet holidays, even many flights only have business tickets.
Usually every year, following January 10, the number of domestic air travelers cools down quickly, leading to a reduction in ticket prices to medium or low levels. However, this year, although the full moon of January has passed, but many routes from localities to Ho Chi Minh City are still crowded with passengers, even many flights are sold out, some flights only have business tickets for 5.5-9. million VND/ticket/way.
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Many flights from central provinces to Ho Chi Minh City have no seats left. Photo: P. DIEN |
Tickets to Ho Chi Minh City are still as high as Tet holiday
Ms. Nguyen Chau (from Nghe An) shared that she booked a ticket to Ho Chi Minh City for medical examination and is scheduled to depart on February 8. However, the agent announced that tickets were sold out on this day, so she booked a flight two days earlier for 3.5 million VND. “After Tet, the ticket is still too high, because of the illness, I had to squeeze my stomach to book an early flight ticket,” said Ms. Chau.
As noted by PV, following the full moon of January is the peak time for students and workers to return to Ho Chi Minh City to study and work, so the number of tourists following Tet is still very high on many routes. Nguyen Quoc Hoa (third year student at University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “This year, despite the long Tet holiday, the plane ticket is still very high, so I and many friends choose train tickets to enter the city for save”.
A quick survey from online ticketing channels on February 6 showed that on flights from localities to Ho Chi Minh City, slots (takeoff/landing time) no longer maintained as high as at the peak of Tet.
In particular, the route Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City still has a busy number of flights, but the ticket prices are extremely high. Typically, business tickets are pushed up to nearly 9 million VND/ticket; Ordinary tickets are at 3-3.6 million VND/ticket. After today (February 7), the ticket price on this route has cooled down slightly but is still at 2.7-3.2 million VND/ticket.
Similarly, the Thanh Hoa – Ho Chi Minh City route has few tickets and the high price is still like the peak of Tet with 3.5 million VND/ticket. Business class tickets of Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways are 6 million VND/ticket. Meanwhile, the Nghe An – Ho Chi Minh City route was sold out. On the morning of February 6, agents informed that this route only had business tickets of Vietnam Airlines with 5.5 million VND/ticket. Ticket prices on this route remained high until February 8, ranging from 3.5-5 million VND/ticket.
Particularly, from early morning on the route from Quang Binh to Ho Chi Minh City, only Bamboo Airways business tickets cost 5.3 million VND/ticket. The next days still maintain the level of 3 million VND/ticket. Shorter flights from Quang Ngai to Ho Chi Minh City, agents also said that tickets are scarce and still at a high level of 2.4-4.6 million VND/ticket.
In particular, the Hanoi – Phu Quoc route is sold out, only business class of Bamboo Airways is available at an exorbitant price of nearly 8 million VND/ticket (flying on 7th, 9th and 10th February). The return ticket on this route is regarding 12 million VND.
Even though the flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is busy, tickets are still as high as going on New Year’s Day.
“No year has domestic tickets sold as well as this year”
Ticket agents commented that even though the Tet peak has passed, many domestic flights are still as high as those on Tet holidays. Mr. Pham Dinh Duy, Director of Quick Ticket Trading Service Co., Ltd., assessed that domestic tickets have never sold as well as this year. Even following Tet, on average, there are regarding 1,000 calls per day to ask for ticket booking information. In contrast, international air ticket bookings are quite sluggish.
“This year, the number of tourists coming to the central and northern provinces to celebrate Tet is quite crowded. Meanwhile, following Tet, the number of tourists returning to the southern provinces to study and work lasts longer. In addition, a part of workers who quit before Tet also returned to Ho Chi Minh City to look for work, so the number of visitors following Tet is still very high “- Mr. Duy commented.
Many ticket agents provide information in the period following the 10th of Tet, tickets for flights from Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Ngai, Quang Binh to Ho Chi Minh City are very few, only business class. Even though the flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is busy, tickets are still as high as going on New Year’s Day.
Talking to Ho Chi Minh City Law, the representative of Tan Son Nhat International Airport informed that the full moon period of January (from February 1 to February 5) operated more than 4,000 flights, transporting more than 614,400 passengers. Thus, the total number of flights and the number of passengers in this period has decreased by nearly half compared to the peak of Tet, but compared to other years, it is still at a high level.
In general, the total operation during the peak period of the Lunar New Year at Tan Son Nhat airport has operated more than 25,000 flights, transporting more than 3.7 million passengers. Thus, in January 2023, Vietnamese airlines transported 10 million passengers.
The airport representative added that the explosive number of passengers traveling during Tet has brought abundant cash flow for airlines, airports and retail services, souvenirs and food services at the airport. •
Passengers flying during Tet holiday increased by 60%
Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), operator of 22 airports across the country, assessed that the number of domestic passengers flying during the Lunar New Year increased by 60% compared to usual.
The total number of visitors in January 2023 reached regarding 10 million visitors, an increase of 149.3% over the same period in 2022 (of which international visitors were estimated at 2.4 million). Particularly at the peak of Tet (from December 15 to the 5th of Tet), the exploitation volume reached 45,735 trips, 6.5 million passengers.
At the height of Tet, domestic airlines increased a lot of flights to meet the booming travel demand of the people. In particular, at major airports such as Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai, the number of flights is increased throughout the night, spreading from morning to evening, contributing to reducing pressure on the terminal during the day.
FENG DIEN
