Thai Airways to connect more Vietnam-Europe flights

Airways highlights the carrier’s more offers for passengers in Vietnam on Monday - Photo: Mong Binh

HCMC - Thai Airways International will offer more connectivity for its flights from Vietnam and its Suvarnabhumi Airport hub in Bangkok to European destinations from the winter schedule to respond to increasing demand from this market.

Karun Sirarojanakul, general manager of Thai Airways in Vietnam, told the Daily Monday that all the two daily services operated by the carrier from HCMC from October 31 would have a good connecting time of around one hour with the Europe-bound flights in Bangkok.

Karun explained Thai Airways was not able to connect its current flights departing from HCMC in the morning with the flights from Bangkok in the early afternoon but would make it possible from the winter schedule as these flights would be conducted more than hour earlier, at around 10:20 a.m.

With the change to departure time, passengers from Thai Airways’ flights from HCMC will arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 11:45 a.m. of the same days so they can board the flights the carrier operates from Bangkok to Europe, either in the early afternoon or in the evening.

Thai Airways has double daily services from Bangkok to London, Munich and Frankfurt, and 10 weekly flights to Paris. The airline currently operates four daily flights from Bangkok to HCMC and Hanoi, making it the biggest foreign full-serviced carrier active in Vietnam in terms of frequencies.

In addition to Europe, Thai Airways is providing passengers in Vietnam with more connecting flights to Australia, Japan and other destinations in Asia as well as elsewhere in the world.

Karun said business people, expatriates living and working in Vietnam and tourists were the key passengers of Thai Airways’ flights from and to Vietnam, and the number of these passengers had been on rise in recent months.

Karun was supported by the figure released by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) that the January-September period saw the number of French visitors to Vietnam up 12% year-on-year to over 147,000, Australia by 27% to more than 205,000, and Japan by 18% to nearly 317,000.

Because of the rising demand, Thai Airways now uses the Airbus 330 plane with 305 seats for the flights to and from Vietnam, or nearly 60 seats more than on the carrier’s aircraft for this market months ago.         

Thai Airways estimated average seat capacity for its flights to and from Vietnam at 75% and is looking to 90% or higher when it prepares to launch two-way tickets starting from US$551 for the services from Vietnam to Europe and other destinations.

Related Articles

• Thai Airways to connect more Vietnam-Europe flights
• Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights
• Jan-Sept aviation market growth put at 20%
• Binh Duong awash in untreated wastewater
• Caravelle acquires Mercedes-Benz in-car Hotspot E-Class

Vietnam Air slashes fares for int’l flights

HCMC - Vietnam Airlines has announced to slash its economy-class fares for international flights from Vietnam by up to 85% to boost sales, just weeks after the national flag carrier discounted tickets by more than 50% for domestic services.

The carrier will provide nearly 90,000 discount seats for passengers from September 30 to October 10 to fly from October 15 to December 31, 2010 and from April 1 to May 31, 2011.

The airline offers the biggest discount of up to 85% to the flights from Vietnam to destinations in Southeast Asia, with return air tickets starting from VND950,000 (US$48.7).

The second biggest cut applies to the flights to Korea and Japan, which are two important markets of Vietnam Airlines in the northeast of Asia. Two-way fares are from VND5.8 million (nearly US$298), or up to 82% off normal rates.

Vietnam Airlines announced return fares to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan from VND1.9 million (some US$97.5), down 80% from normal levels. This rate is substantially lower than a return HCMC-Hong Kong fare from US$125 on sale at United Airlines in September.

Vietnam Airlines will sell fares from VND1.92 million, down up to 74% for the flights to Indochinese airports; from VND9.55 million or a decrease of 50% for the service to Australia; and VND11.44 million (just over US$587) or down 40% for the flights to France, Germany and Russia.

Tax and surcharges are not included in the discount fares, which Vietnam Airlines will also sell at the upcoming International Travel Expo in HCMC from September 30 to October 2. These discount fares can be purchased at the carrier’s booking offices and agents nationwide.

Holders of discount tickets still enjoy full services aboard the carrier’s flights. However, these fares will not be valid for the flights during public holidays in Vietnam and the overseas destinations that Vietnam Airlines flies to as well as the summertime when demand for air travel is high.

Vietnam Airlines is selling fares from VND400,000 to VND860,000 (US$44), off by more than half for its domestic flights until October 30. The carrier said it offered more than 300,000 cheap seats from September 15 to October 30, 2010.

Related Articles

• Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights
• Violinist of Vietnamese origin wins prize at int’l contest
• Air Mekong set for launch
• Investors, authorities in Delta need to work together
• VN-Russia parliamentary ties ‘need to be stronger'

New private carrier gears up for first flight

Officials announced Monday that Air Mekong, the nation’s nascent luxury airline, is planning its first flight on October 10.

The Mekong Delta-based outfit was licensed in 2008 to become Vietnam’s third private carrier after Indochina and VietJet AirAsia.

Truong Thanh Vu, the carrier’s director of commercial service, said tourists and businesspeople will be the target market for the frilly flights.

“Vietnam’s aviation market is coming up on the heels of the world’s economic and airline recovery, offering opportunities for carriers around the globe and new jets to join the market,” Vu told Thanh Nien Weekly.

He said Vietnam’s aviation market saw a 20 percent increase in sales in the first half of this year. Vu added that, on some routes, the country saw a 30-50 percent jump, a good sign for carriers that took a hit during the global economic crisis.

The country is once again drawing international tourists and businesspeople for leisure, trade and investment, adding more demand to the market, he said.

Vu said the market is still young. Only six domestic airlines have been licensed so far, including the flagship carrier Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific. Vu says there is still great potential for traditional and low-cost carriers to break into the market.

Air Mekong applied for aviation operator certificates to open routes between big cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Can Tho and Hai Phong and scenic getaways like Nha Trang, Da Lat, Vinh and Phu Quoc.

The carrier has received four Bombardier CRJ-900 airplanes leased from US firm Sky West Leasing Inc. Local newspapers said the American company would retain a 30 percent stake in Air Mekong thus becoming a strategic shareholder in the venture whose charter capital was reported at VND200 billion.

Vu refused to confirm the news. He did say, however, that the private carrier has hired 40 US pilots, who will take off in October. Tickets sales begin online next month.

No private carrier is currently operating flights in Vietnam. Indochina was the first private carrier to break into Vietnamese airspace in late 2007. However, the company suspended flights last

October due to losses incurred during the crisis.

The second private carrier VietJet AirAsia – 30 percent of which is owned by the Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia – delayed its first flights twice in May and August. At this time, the joint stock company has not announced plans to reschedule the take-off.

Related Articles

• New private carrier gears up for first flight
• Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights
• Weightlifter grabs Vietnam’s first Olympic gold at Youth Games
• Hanoi T&T win first V-League after scoreless draw
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy