VietNam Business: flights

Showing posts with label flights. Show all posts

Monday, February 21, 2011

Vietnam Airlines cancels 30 flights due to downpours

HCMC – Vietnam Airlines on Monday said that torrential rains in central Vietnam in the past days had forced it to cancel at least 30 flights to Vinh and Chu Lai, but it pledged more flights than usual soon to transport stranded passengers.

The national flag air carrier aborted 28 services to and from Vinh City and two from and to Chu Lai in Quang Nam Province from October 15 to 18. Meanwhile, Jetstar Pacific said it had to divert two flights from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Noi Bai Airport instead of landing in Vinh on October 17 and 18.

Vietnam Airlines conducted two flights from Vinh to HCMC on Monday, using Airbus A321, and plans four services out of its normal schedule between the central city and HCMC on Tuesday.

The carrier plans to resume six daily flights between HCMC and Vinh and two daily services between Hanoi and Vinh as usual from Tuesday. Vietnam Airlines said it had prepared for Typhoon Megi, which is forecast to reach the Eastern Sea on Tuesday afternoon and may affect the flights bound for central Vietnam.

The carrier called for passengers to check the latest information about its flights to the region on its website at www.vietnamairlines.com and booking offices.

Jetstar Pacific told the Daily that it was keeping itself abreast of developments of Super Storm Megi in order to have proper plans to operate its flights to central Vietnam and mitigate impact on passengers.

Vietnam’s civil aviation regulations clarify flight cancellations due to storms are unavoidable so airlines do not have to pay compensation for affected passengers. Airlines often help passengers travel by road to their planned destinations if they have to divert their planes to a new destination because of bad weather.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Jetstar Pacific expands aircraft fleet to seven

HCMC - Jetstar Pacific increased its aircraft fleet to seven for domestic services on Sunday when the local low-cost carrier took delivery of one new Airbus A320 at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The new 180-seat plane is part of Jetstar Pacific’s plan to gradually replace its Boeing B737-400s and expand its all Airbus aircraft fleet to 15 by 2014. The carrier now has five Boeing B737-400s and two Airbus of the type.

Jetstar Pacific said the second Airbus A320 had registration number VNA198 and would be put into service on October 20. It will enable the second largest carrier in Vietnam after Vietnam Airlines to operate more than 40 daily domestic flights to HCMC, Hanoi, Danang, Hue, Vinh and Hai Phong.

Le Song Lai, chief executive officer of Jetstar Pacific, said the new Airbus aircraft would help the airline save a lot of operation and maintenance costs as well as increase domestic frequencies ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year, or Tet, early next year.

Jetstar Pacific told the Daily on Sunday that air tickets had almost sold out for certain flights from HCMC to Vinh, Hue and Haiphong from the 26th to 30th of the twelfth lunar month and the 6th to 8th of the first lunar month on the opposite directions.

Jetstar Pacific has plans to operate more domestic flights before and during the Lunar New Year, which falls on the first day of the lunar year, or in February 2011.

Vietnam Airlines is mapping out plans for more flights during the Lunar New Year as fares for the flagship carrier’s flights on certain routes during this special occasion are becoming scarce.

Last Tet, Vietnam Airlines operated nearly 1,000 more domestic flights from HCMC to Hanoi and central Vietnam due to stronger demand for air travel.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Central region’s airport to receive Russian flights

Vladivostok Air will launch two new air routes from the Russian cities of Khabarovsk and Vladivostok to Cam Ranh International Airport in the central coastal city of Nha Trang by the year-end.

The Russian carrier Wednesday met with the local authorities to discuss the ongoing preparations for the routes’ inauguration.

Fourteen flights, using TU420 aircraft with 140 seats, are scheduled on these routes in mid-December-March, with two flights every two weeks to the central coastal city, according to a Vladivostok Air spokesperson.

At the meeting, Cam Ranh Airport’s authorities pledged to halve the cost of landing charges and services and stated that the airport has all the facilities, equipment and staff to cater for international flights, according to Vietnam News Agency.

Ten four and five star hotels and resorts in the city have also agreed to reduce their charges for Russian tourists flying to Nha Trang on the new routes by between 20-50 percent, VNA reported.

Cam Ranh Airport became an international airport in December 2009 and has recorded an average annual growth rate in passenger numbers of 21 percent, the highest rate in Vietnam, but had not yet introduced any international routes.

Last July and August, it handled 14 direct flights from Incheon in South Korea.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

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.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Air Mekong starts maiden commercial flights

Passengers disembark from the Air Mekong’s plane as it lands on Phu Quoc Island last Friday - Photo: Dinh Dung

HCMC – Vietnam’s Air Mekong officially launched its maiden domestic commercial flights last Friday, taking its first step into the local airline market after two years of preparation.

The country’s third private carrier marked its presence in the market with eight domestic routes, including Hanoi – Phu Quoc, HCMC – Phu Quoc, and Hanoi – HCMC. There are also routes from Hanoi to Danang, Nha Trang, Dalat, and routes from HCMC to Danang, Nha Trang, Dalat, Con Dao, Buon Ma Thuot, Haiphong and Vinh.

The airline, which uses a red-headed crane symbol as its logo, uses four three-year-old Bombardier CRJ-900s, chartered from the U.S.-based Sky West Leasing Inc. to provide 26 daily domestic flights.

These planes are configured with 10 deluxe-class and 80 economy-class seats. Doan Quoc Viet, board chairman of Air Mekong, said at a ceremony to receive the Aircraft Operator Certificate (AOC) held in Phu Quoc Island last week that the carrier’s strategy was to expand its network to different destinations in the country.

An AOC is required for any air carrier to operation commercial flights. Viet explained the reason to have chosen Bombardier CRJ-900s for starting up business, saying that the jet-engine airplanes could land on almost all runways in the country thanks to their small size.

He said Air Mekong’s strategy was not to compete for market share by cutting fares, but rather by improving the quality of service. It operates as a traditional airline, concentrating on the segment of economy-class passengers.

The start-up carrier is upbeat about the maiden flights’ seat occupancy as the number of tickets booked for the first flights has gone beyond its expectation of 1,000 tickets launched in a promotion program, according to the chairman.

The airline offers a VND400,000 fare for a single trip from HCMC to Con Dao, Phu Quoc, Pleiku and Buon Ma Thuot, VND800,000 for a trip from Hanoi to HCMC, Dalat, Pleiku, and Buon Ma Thuot, and VND1.2 million for a journey from the capital city of Hanoi to Phu Quoc Island.

Viet said Air Mekong planned to increase its daily frequencies to 34 flights on 10 air routes next month, a time when demand for air travel begins to pick up within Vietnam. He also revealed the carrier’s expansion plan, saying that Air Mekong targeted to increase its fleet to 10 airplanes next year, and would offer international flights to some neighboring countries in the next two years.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Third private carrier flies Vietnam's skies

Air Mekong, Vietnam's third private airline, received its Air Operator's Certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) in southern Kien Giang Province on Friday.

On the same day, the carrier also launched its first two routes, Hanoi – Phu Quoc and Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc.

"The Vietnamese aviation market is dramatically developing. The aviation demand, especially for domestic flights, will increase considerably in the next few years," said CAAV deputy director Dinh Viet Thang.

"The introduction of Air Mekong is essential to meeting market demand, diversifying aviation services and increasing competitiveness," Thang said.

"The CAAV's certificate will open up a new page for our development", said Air Mekong chairman Doan Quoc Viet.

Air Mekong would start commercial operations since Saturday with eight flights from Hanoi and HCMC to Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Buon Me Thuot, Pleiku, Viet said, adding that they would expand operations to 10 flights from November including destinations of Dalat in the Central Highlands and Danang City.

The airline has launched a promotional offer until November 9 with 1,000 tickets at prices ranging from VND400,000 to VND1.2 million (US$20.50-61.50) for flights on all its domestic routes. Tickets are on sale at travel agents and via Air Mekong's website and customer care centers.

Air Mekong was established in 2009 by Ha Long Investment and Development Co and is based at Phu Quoc Airport. The existing two private carriers operating in Vietnam are Indochina Airlines and VietJet AirAsia.

The CAAV said there were also a number of other organisations and individuals planning to launch airlines. To qualify, private operators must have a charter capital of at least VND500 billion ($26.3 million) to fly internationally and VND200 billion ($10.5 million) to launch domestic flights. They must also meet strict aviation and security standards.

Third private carrier flies Vietnam's skies

Air Mekong, Vietnam's third private airline, received its Air Operator's
Certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) in
southern Kien Giang province on Oct.8.

On the same day, the carrier also launched its first two routes, Hanoi – Phu Quoc and HCM City – Phu Quoc.

"The Vietnamese aviation market is dramatically developing. The
aviation demand, especially for domestic flights, will increase
considerably in the next few years," said CAAV deputy director Dinh Viet
Thang.

"The introduction of Air Mekong is essential
to meeting market demand, diversifying aviation services and increasing
competitiveness," Thang said.

"The CAAV's certificate will open up a new page for our development", said Air Mekong chairman Doan Quoc Viet.

Air Mekong would start commercial operations since Oct.9 with eight
flights from Ha Noi and HCM City to Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Buon Me Thuot,
Pleiku, Viet said, adding that they would expand operations to 10
flights from November including destinations of Da Lat in the Central
Highlands and Da Nang city.

The airline has launched
a promotional offer until November 9 with 1,000 tickets at prices
ranging from 400,000 VND to 1.2 million VND (20.50-61.50 USD) for
flights on all its domestic routes. Tickets are on sale at travel agents
and via Air Mekong's website and customer care centres.

Air Mekong was establish in 2009 by Ha Long Investment and Development
Company and is based at Phu Quoc Airport. The existing two private
carriers operating in Vietnam are Indochina Airlines and VietJet
AirAsia.

The CAAV said there were also a number of
other organisations and individuals planning to launch airlines. To
qualify, private operators must have a charter capital of at least 500
billion VND (26.3 million USD) to fly internationally and 200 billion
VND (10.5 million USD) to launch domestic flights. They must also meet
strict aviation and security standards./.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Grand celebrations, floods cause scarcity of air tickets

VALC gets fourth ATR72-500

HCMC - Air tickets for flights between HCMC and Hanoi have become scarce as demand for air travel on this route is rising because of the ongoing 1,000th birthday festival of Thang Long-Hanoi and flooding impacts in central Vietnam.

Vietnam Airlines on Thursday started to increase flight frequencies between the two biggest cities of Vietnam, especially those from HCMC to Hanoi, where the grand celebrations are taking place until October 10. For this reason, the airline adds 13 flights to this route until Monday.

The national flag carrier operated two more flights from HCMC to Hanoi on Thursday, five on Friday, one on each of Saturday and Sunday, and four more services from Hanoi to HCMC on October 11.

Besides the millennial celebrations, Vietnam Airlines has decided to increase frequencies because flooding in certain parts of central Vietnam has impacted travel by road and rail in the region, pushing the demand for air travel higher.

Vietnam Airlines said that with the extra services, it operated 32 daily flights on average on the HCMC-Hanoi route until Monday and offered 8,860 seats a day to the market.

Jetstar Pacific will not increase flight frequencies on the HCMC-Hanoi route as this low-cost carrier cannot arrange its aircraft reasonably on the fact that the demand is much higher for air travel from HCMC to Hanoi than the opposite direction on the same days.

A Jetstar Pacific executive told the Daily on the phone on Thursday that it had sold out all the air tickets for its flights from HCMC to Hanoi until October 9, and the tickets for the services on October 10 are running out. Almost all the tickets for the flights on the opposite direction on Monday and Tuesday have been booked.

Jetstar Pacific operates 10 flights between HCMC and the capital city, using Airbus A320s with 180 seats and Boeing 737-400s with 168 seats. The country’s second largest airline now has one Airbus and five Boeing aircraft.

Air Mekong cannot give much help in the air ticket shortage as the start-up airline will launch services this Saturday, with around two flights for the HCMC-Hanoi route using Bombardier CRJ-900s configured with 90 Deluxe and Economy-class seats.

The private airline is expected to receive an air operator certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam in Phu Quoc Airport in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on Friday, and announce its maiden services on Saturday.

Initially, Air Mekong will conduct 26 daily flights by four Bombardier CRJ-900s before increasing frequencies to 34 daily services flights on 10 domestic air routes to the airports in HCMC, Hanoi, Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Pleiku, Buon Ma Thuot and Dalat, and the central city of Danang.

* Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Join Stock Co. (VALC) on Thursday took delivery of a fourth ATR72-500 plane in France’s city of Toulouse as part of a batch of five aircraft of this type the local company already ordered from manufacturer ATR.

VALC will get the fifth ATR72-500 in December this year in the US$100 million-plus deal between the company and French Avion de Transport Regional (ATR). All the aircraft will be leased to Vietnam Airlines.

Tran Long, general director of VALC, said the company was completing procedures to receive 10 Airbus A321-200s from the European aircraft maker in 2012 and 2013. Again, these planes will be put into service by Vietnam Airlines.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Danang to welcome more chartered flights

HCMC – The central city of Danang in the next four months will welcome several chartered flights bringing in travelers from Asian destinations namely Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, a local tour operator said.

Cao Tri Dung, director of Vitours in Danang as a key local partner catering to such flights told the Daily that the first chartered flight from Hong Kong to Danang would start on November 11. During three months, visitors from this market will come in on every Wednesday and Saturday.

Similarly, frequent chartered flights will also come from Taiwan and South Korea. Dung said tourists from Taipei would fly to Danang every five days from December 26 for a period of three months, while travelers from Korea’s Seoul would come from January 1.

“In the high season, the city will receive around 1,000 passengers per week from the end of December to January. Our company will cater to half of the total,” Dung said.

Along with the inbound tours, the company is preparing for outbound tours to take local tourists to travel to Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea on these flights.

“We expect the outbound tour prices will be lower than normal because partners are focusing on inbound travelers and have booked all of planes’ inbound seats,” Dung said, hinting that outbound seats would be vacant.

Danang is receiving Chinese tourists two times per week on chartered flights.

The tour operator said more visitors are coming to the city because Danang is a new destination offering affordable prices to tourists. However, Danang is able to attract visitors from short-haul destinations in Asia only, he said.

“The city needs to get more connected via more international air routes to woo travelers especially people from long-haul markets like Europe. The chartered flight is the good start for the development,” Dung noted.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Air Mekong wraps up test flights, ready to take off

Air Mekong, Vietnam’s third private airline, has safely concluded test flights to several domestic destinations, qualifying for a license to become operational this week, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam said.

The CAAV will hand over an Air Operator's Certificate this week, enabling the carrier to begin its first flight Saturday, Vo Huy Cuong, director of the regulator’s Air Transport Department, said.

It will initially operate three daily flights between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City before launching services to the Central Highlands cities of Pleiku and Buon Ma Thuot, Phu Quoc, and Con Dao.

The carrier has taken delivery of four Canadian-made 90-seat Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft leased from the US’ SkyWest Leasing Inc for three years.

The company, which owns SkyWest Airlines, is looking to acquire a 30 percent stake in the carrier.

Air Mekong is the third private operator to be licensed after Vietjet Air and Indochina Airlines, and has a chartered capital of VND200 billion (US$10.5 million), the minimum required under the law.

Indochina Airlines, the first operational private carrier, had its traffic rights revoked earlier this year after it repeatedly failed to fulfill its commitment to fly again or prove its financial capability.

Monday, November 29, 2010

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.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Vietnam Airlines offers big discounts for int’l routes

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will offer special discounts
of up to 85 percent compared to normal prices on all its international
flights for individual booking made between September 30 and October 10.

The special prices will be applied for flights
departing from October 15 to December 31, 2010 and from April 1 to May
31, 2011.

The large-scale promotion programme with
nearly 90,000 tickets to be sold is to mark the 1,000 th anniversary
of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The prices of return tickets
on flights from Vietnam to other Southeast Asian countries will see
the highest cut of 85 percent to 950,000 VND, followed by flights to
Japan and the Republic of Korea with a discount of 82 percent to
5.8 million VND.

The discounts of 80 percent, 50
percent and 40 percent will be applied for flights to Northeast Asian
nations, Australia and Europe respectively.

Vietnam Airlines is operating 75 routes to 20 domestic sites and 26
international destinations with more than 290 flights per day./.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Low demand prompts airlines to cut fares, drop service

Planes of Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific are seen at Noi Bai Airport. Low demand results in a big fare reduction by the flagship carrier and an air route suspension by the budget carrier - Photo: Mong Binh

HCMC - Decreasing demand for air travel after the summer rush has forced Vietnam Airlines to slash its fares and Jetstar Pacific to suspend its daily service between Hanoi and Nha Trang which was launched in early June.

Vietnam Airlines on Monday announced that it would knock more than 50% off the fares for many domestic flights as one of its programs to diversify fares and to encourage domestic air travel in the low season.

The big discount pushes one-way fares down to the range of between VND400,000 (roughly US$20) and VND860,000 applicable for bookings and departure flights from September 15 to October 30 this year. These rates do not include taxes and surcharges.

The national flag carrier will sell more than 300,000 discount tickets during the period, or nearly 7,000 tickets a day on its website at www.vietnamairlines.com, booking offices and agents for the flights between Hanoi and HCMC, and between these cities to other destinations in Vietnam.

Vietnam Airlines now flies to almost all business and tourist spots in the country, including Nha Trang, Hue, Danang, Tam Ky, Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa, Dong Hoi and Vinh in central Vietnam, Phu Quoc, Can Tho and Rach Gia in the south, and Dalat and Buon Ma Thuot in the Central Highlands among others.

Vietnam Airlines announced the big program of discount fares one week after Jetstar Pacific sold one-way air tickets from VND315,000 (some US$16) for the flights from Hanoi and HCMC to Danang or vice versa, VND600,000 for the HCMC-Haiphong service, and from VND615,000 for the HCMC-Hanoi run.

Jetstar Pacific’s discount fares apply to the flights between September 7 and October 27, which is said by local airlines and travel firms to be the low season for the domestic tourism market segment after the summer vacation.

Because of low demand for air travel, Jetstar Pacific suspended its two daily flights between Hanoi and Nha Trang, the latter being one famous destination in central Vietnam for vacationers rather than business people.

Jetstar Pacific told the Daily that it operated Hanoi-Nha Trang services from June to September 5 to meet surging demand in the summer time. The route drop left Hue, Danang and Vinh the only three destinations in central Vietnam that the carrier now has daily flights to.

Usually, the low tourism season in Vietnam starts from September till November, leading to a sharp fall in the domestic demand for air travel, especially to central Vietnam.

Low demand prompts airlines to cut fares, drop service

Usually, the low tourism season in Vietnam starts from September till November, leading to a sharp fall in the domestic demand for air travel, especially to central Vietnam.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Vietnam Airlines add 20 domestic flights

HA NOI — Vietnam Airlines plans to add six additional flights to the Ha Noi - Nha Trang route, four flights to the HCM City - Nha Trang route and ten flights to the HCM City - Phu Quoc link.

This move aims to meet the greater demand on travelling during the National Day holiday.

The carrier will use larger planes for the extended routes, including Airbus 320/321 and AT7, which will provide more capacity during the busy holiday period.

Gas prices rise by VND14,000-15,000

HA NOI –- The retail price of cooking gas on the domestic market increased yesterday by VND14,000-15,000 to VND258,000 per 12-kilo canister.

This is the second time domestic cooking gas prices have increased within the last ten days, due to a US$55 per tonne price-rise on the global market last month.

Thai-Viet Company to build $50m factory

NINH THUAN — Thai-Viet Bio-ethanol Company received a license early this week to build a factory to produce ethanol, fertilisers and animal feeds. The factory, located in the central province of Ninh Thuan, has an investment capital of VND950 billion (US$50 million).

It is slated to start construction in 2011 and come into operation in early 2013. The plant is expected to produce 60 million tonnes of ethanol per year for export and domestic demand.

The company also plans to establish an R&D centre in the province's Phuoc Nam Industrial Park to support the factory's construction and operation.

SP-PSA Port reports record productivity

HCM CITY — The SP-PSA International Port in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province has gained record productivity for one container vessel, with an average discharge rate of 106 containers per hour.

The port discharged a record 5,174 TEU from a container ship called the APS Iris, which belongs to APL-NOL, a US marine transport company. The ship has direct weekly service from and to West Coast and Vung Tau.

Managers of APL-NOL and the port expect that the high productivity rate will raise the confidence of both the port's and ship's customers.

The province's Cai Mep Thi Vai estuary has many deep seaport development projects in progress. SP-PSA port, the first deep-sea container terminal operating, has a 600m-berth and a sea depth of 14.5m. — VNS

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Typhoon causes flight cancellations

HCMC - Typhoon Mindulle has forced Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific to cancel around 17 domestic flights from HCMC and Hanoi to central and Central Highlands regions and vice versa.

Vietnam Airlines said that it had to call off eight flights between the country’s two major cities and Vinh on Tuesday because of the storm. In addition to its daily schedule, the flagship carrier will operate extra services on these routes on Wednesday to transport 641 stranded passengers.

Low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific was unable to run its daily service between HCMC and Vinh on Tuesday and would plan more services on this route on Wednesday to transport more than 100 affected passengers.

Vietnam Airlines’ flight cancellations as a result of the typhoon, also known in Vietnam as Storm No. 3, were many more than the only one flight by Jetstar Pacific because the national carrier’s flights to the central and Central Highlands regions of Vietnam are much more than the latter’s.

On Monday afternoon and evening, Vietnam Airlines aborted eight flights between HCMC and Hue as well as Hanoi and this former imperial capital, leaving more than 870 passengers grounded. The airline carried these passengers on its daily and extra flights on Tuesday.

Vietnam Airlines reported the biggest number of affected passengers for HCMC-Hue flights, with more than 500 passengers unable to board its four flights on Monday. There were 253 for the Hanoi-Hue route and 125 for the HCMC-Buon Ma Thuot flight cancellations.

Vietnam Airlines said it had prepared enough aircraft and staff for the extra services. However, it called for passengers to get updates on its website at www.vietnamairlines.com or by dialing (04) 38 320 320 for those in Hanoi, (08) 38 320 320 in HCMC and (0511) 3832320 in Danang.

The typhoon that centered offshore Ha Tinh Province at mid-day on Tuesday caused fierce winds and widespread devastation along the north-central coast.

The storm that was centered 90km from the shore caused heavy rain and strong winds up to grades 10 and 11 in Ky Anh and Loc Ha Districts of Ha Tinh. The powerful storm uprooted trees and unroofed many houses.

Chairman of Loc Ha District Bui Le Bac said local residents, including old people, women and children had been evacuated. Military, police, and volunteers had been mobilized to help move people’s possessions and check the dyke system.

Border police have succeeded in contacting and supervising over 44,000 boats and ships to move to safe areas.

The Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control on Tuesday sent a delegation headed by Dao Xuan Hoc, deputy minister of agriculture and rural development, to the north- central provinces of Quang Binh and Ha Tinh to oversee emergency response there.

Cao Duc Phat, head of the steering committee and minister of agriculture and rural development, on Tuesday urged the authorities of affected provinces to keep in contact and guide fishing boats as well as call on residents to reinforce their houses. All local rescue teams should be on standby.

Phat also warned that the storm might trigger flash floods like what storms did in the past, so an emergency plan should be in place to deal with floods and the aftermath.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Polish carrier names TransViet as general agent

Jetstar Pacific to sell discount fares

HCMC - LOT Polish Airlines has appointed the aviation and travel services provider TransViet as its general sales agent (GSA) in Vietnam less than three months before the carrier launches direct flights to Hanoi.

Nguyen Hai, chairman of TransViet Group, told the Daily on the phone on Wednesday that LOT Polish Airlines was the newest foreign airline that had approved the company as the GSA in Vietnam. Currently, TransViet represents more than 10 foreign airlines in this market.

LOT on Wednesday announced the start of direct services between Hanoi and Warsaw on November 15 this year. This is the latest of 10 new routes to be launched by LOT this year, said Krzysztof Kolodziej, general manager of the polish airline in Vietnam.

Kolodziej said LOT would be the only airline providing direct air link between Warsaw and Hanoi, at a frequency of three times every week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This new connection will be served by Boeing 767-300 aircraft configured with 225 economy-class seats and 18 business-class seats.

Hai of TransViet said the flights departing from Hanoi at midnight would arrive in Warsaw early morning, enabling easy LOT network connections at Warsaw Airport thanks to Poland’s geographical location in the heart of Europe.

The member of STAR Alliance, the world’s biggest airline alliance, sells a two-way fare for the Hanoi-Warsaw flights from US$380, exclusive of taxes and surcharges on its website at www.lot.com and ticketing office in Hanoi as well as travel agencies in Vietnam.

* Vietnam’s low-cost Jetstar Pacific Airlines will sell one-way fares from VND300,000 (US$15.7) at www.jetstar.com this Friday to offer many more people an opportunity to travel by air within Vietnam.

The discount fare will apply to Jetstar Pacific’s flights from HCMC and Hanoi to Danang and vice versa from September 7 to October 27 this year. The single fare for the HCMC-Hanoi flights starts from VND600,000 (less than US$30).

Jetstar Pacific allows passengers to pay online for the discount fares by such credit cards as Visa, MasterCard, Amex and JCB as well as ATM Connect 24 issued by Vietcombank, E-Partner by VietinBank and other debit cards by Vietnam International Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (VIB), DongA Bank and Housing Development Bank (HD Bank).

Every day, Jetstar Pacific operates 10 return flights between HCMC and Hanoi, four services between HCMC and Danang, and two between Hanoi and Danang. The carrier now has 40 daily domestic flights, using Airbus A320 and Boeing B737-400 and including those to Hue, Vinh and Haiphong.

Monday, February 21, 2011

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