Not only Vietnamese air carriers but also Indian ones operate direct air routes between the two countries, making the competition among them fierce.

Besides direct air services, airlines offer flights connecting to third countries, thus attracting more customers.

Indian passengers on the rise

The number of Indians coming to Vietnam has increased sharply. As a result, many domestic and international air carriers are competing to attract customers.

Indian tourists coming to Vietnam through Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City are on the rise.

According to statistics from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, nearly 82,100 Indian travelers visited Vietnam in the January-October period of this year. The number of Indian visitors surged 51 percent per month on average.

Kieu My, a ground service worker at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, said the number of Indians is increasing as airlines raise the frequency of their flights and the occupancy rate of these flights reaches 75-90 percent.

On the other hand, tours for Vietnamese passengers flying to India are bustling.

There are even charter flights carrying hundreds of Vietnamese passengers to the South Asian country to make a pilgrimage.

Severe competition among airlines

In 2019, Vietnamese air carriers pioneered direct air routes to some tourist destinations in India with a frequency of two to four flights per week. Nowadays, Vietnamese flights have reached most tourist sites in India.

For instance, budget carrier Vietjet opened 14 new air routes to India, carrying tourists from Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Bangalore to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Phu Quoc.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines also operates flights to India but with a lower frequency than Vietjet.

In addition, Indian airlines, such as Indigo and SpiceJet, have entered the race to carry passengers between the two countries.

Airlines also compete in airfares, which hover around VND5-7 million (US$201-281) per ticket.

The competition in airfares, flight frequency, and flying time on Vietnam-India air routes is fierce. Besides airfare cuts, airlines have launched other services to retain customers.

“When operating flights carrying Indian passengers to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, we find that the demand for connecting flights to other countries is high," said an executive of an airline.

“If we can connect to air routes to third countries, we can meet passengers’ demand."

Sharing the view, a Vietjet leader said in addition to existing air routes to India, connecting flights to third countries will help attract customers in the coming time.

The air carrier took a survey and found that Indian passengers are interested in visiting Bali in Indonesia, which is home to Hindu temples, and other destinations featuring Indian culture. 

“More than half of Indian passengers coming to Vietnam have a demand to fly to Bali and other destinations in Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea.”

Airport ground services need improving

Doan Thi Mai Huong, general director of Southern Airports Services JSC, said to attract Indian tourists, it is a must to meet their demand for catering, entertainment, and relaxation services.

In reality, many Indian restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City are thriving thanks to the high number of customers, only that Indian travelers are careful in spending on services. Therefore, offering products at reasonable prices is necessary.

Southern Airports Services JSC has lounges, restaurants, and retail outlets at airports.

It is preparing more Indian dishes to welcome more tourists from the South Asian country.

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