Vietnamese air carriers are slashing ticket prices for many flights during the ongoing holiday, which bucks the movement in previous years.  

In particular, tickets for flights from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi to tourist destinations, such as central Da Nang City, Phu Quoc Island off southern Kien Giang Province, and Nha Trang City of south-central Khanh Hoa Province, on Sunday and Monday see their prices plummet 30-50 percent over Saturday.

The airfares fall further until next Thursday.

For example, budget airline Vietjet is selling one-way tickets for flights on Sunday at VND727,000-1 million (US$31-42.6) each, while the ticket price for flights on Monday is only VND199,000 ($8.5) per ticket.

Similarly, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines is putting up for sale tickets for four flights on Sunday at a price of VND1.2-1.5 million ($51-64) each.

The airfare for flights departing on Monday is VND940,000 ($40) per ticket.

The air carrier sold tickets for flights on the Hanoi – Da Nang air route on Saturday at VND4.4 million ($187.6) each. However, the prices of tickets for flights on Sunday and Monday tumbles to VND1.2-1.7 million ($51-72) each.

Vietjet and Bamboo Airways also cut the airfares for flights on the route to VND459,000-1.3 million ($19-55).

For Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City flights, the airfares also plunge.

Vietnam Airlines offers tickets at VND1.3-2 million ($55-85) each, while Vietjet’s tickets are priced at VND640,000 ($27.3) each.

On the other hand, the airfares for flights from Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi from next Wednesday to Friday skyrocket.

Passengers complete procedures to board aircraft.

Nguyen Thuy Dung, a resident in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City, is weighing traveling due to the surprisingly low airfares.

She scrapped her travel plan a month ago as the air ticket cost exceeded VND8-10 million ($341-426).

She has to pay only nearly VND5 million ($213.2) for two return air tickets now, Dung said.

The travel demand normally surges, resulting in high airfares during holidays.

However, the situation is different during this year’s Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers’ Day (May 1) holiday.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam is responsible for ensuring that airfares do not exceed the regulated caps.

Airlines offer airfares themselves, a representative of the authority said.

Aviation expert Nguyen Thien Tong attributed the airfare reduction to the low market demand.

Local airlines offered tickets at high prices before the holiday, hindering locals’ travel. They now have to slash the ticket prices to attract customers, Tong said.

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