The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has written to local airlines calling on them to add flights on the busiest routes connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with other localities to meet the higher travel demand during the upcoming holidays, Hung Kings Commemoration Day, Reunification Day (April 30), and International Workers’ Day (May 1).

Workers in Vietnam have a five-day break from April 29 to May 3 to mark the three public holidays.

Statistics from Vietnamese air carriers, as cited by the CAAV, indicated that the total number of seats launched for the routes connecting Hanoi with key destinations such as Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hue, Da Lat, Phu Quoc, Phu Yen, Quy Nhon, and Dong Hoi on April 28 and 29, is about 41,000.

On April 29, the seat occupancy rates will be 100 percent on the Hanoi-Hue air route, 96 percent on the Hanoi-Dong Hoi/Quy Nhon routes, and 93 percent on the Hanoi-Tuy Hoa route.

Some 40,000 seats are offered for the routes between Ho Chi Minh City and other destinations on April 29.

The occupancy on the flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Quy Nhon, Phu Quoc, and Tuy Hoa has reached over 80 percent.

Meanwhile, many return flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have seen the seat occupancy rates top 80 percent on May 2 and 3.

To better serve the travel demand of passengers during the upcoming holidays, the aviation authority prompted local airlines to increase flights on the routes connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Phu Quoc Island, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Cam Ranh, and Con Dao Island before and after the break.

The CAAV, on April 6, decided to add 26 landing and take-off slots every day at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City from April 28 to May 3 and from June 1 to August 15 for the peak summer travel season.

The slot spike enabled local airlines to offer an additional 4,500-5,000 air tickets daily during the two periods.

Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport trials check-in with chip-based ID cards

The CAAV has given the nod for a proposal made by the Noi Bai International Airport operator in Hanoi to pilot check-in via facial recognition technology using identification (ID) cards carrying microchips for certain domestic flights.

The pilot program will run in a month from April 17.

Passengers with chip-based ID cards can use facial recognition technology at two check-in counters at the T2 terminal on the second floor.

Bamboo Airlines will join the pilot program.

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