Airlines plan to exploit peak summer season 2024

International passengers flying through Noi Bai International Airport after the Lunar New Year of Giap Thin increased, surpassing the peak of 2019. Photo: Phan Cong

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has just sent a document to Vietnam Airlines Corporation; Aviation Joint Stock Companies: Vietjet, Tre Viet, Pacific Airlines and Vietnam Travel (Vietravel Airlines) to report on the exploitation plan during the peak summer period of 2024.

Accordingly, in order to proactively serve the travel needs of people, transport goods, promote tourism development as well as implement passenger service tasks during the holiday period (April 30 to May 1), the peak summer period of 2024, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam requires Vietnamese airlines to proactively coordinate with travel and tourism businesses in developing programs and plans to exploit to localities and key countries in tourism. Thereby, supporting and promoting domestic and international tourism activities.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam also requested companies to report on their demand for exploitation and increase of flights, as well as proposals related to adjusting parameters of landing and take-off times; flight service time at airports during the holidays (April 30, May 1) and the peak summer period of 2024.

In addition, the Authority also requested airlines to base on resources, market demand and optimize aircraft operating hours, urgently develop plans to increase flights from now on domestic routes from the North to the South, including increasing operations in the evening and night time to promptly meet passenger travel needs.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam predicts that the Vietnamese aviation market will fully recover by the end of 2024.

In 2024, the total demand for air passenger transport is estimated at about 84.2 million passengers, an increase of 15% compared to 2023 and an increase of 6% compared to 2019.

The transport demand of Vietnamese airlines is expected to be about 61 million passengers, an increase of 9.3% compared to 2023 and an increase of 10.9% compared to 2019. Of which, domestic passenger transport will reach about 41.5 million passengers, an increase of 3.3% compared to 2023 and an increase of 11% compared to 2019; international passenger transport will reach 19.5 million passengers, an increase of 24.6% compared to 2023 and an increase of 10.6% compared to 2019.

The market is expected to receive favorable conditions and positive signals from tourism development policies of domestic localities and countries around the world, creating conditions to improve the ability to exploit domestic and international routes. In addition, the research and opening of additional routes by Vietnamese and foreign airlines is also an opportunity to develop the market.

However, the challenges and risks that the aviation industry has to face are also numerous: Negative factors affecting domestic and international economic growth and development (risks of inflation and exchange rates continue to increase, many countries maintain tight monetary policies, interest rates have not decreased in reality...); unfavorable developments in aviation fuel prices; risk of shortage of high-quality human resources in the aviation industry; the situation of recalling and maintaining aircraft engines by the manufacturer Pratt & Whitney directly affects the operating capacity of airlines...

Mr. Le Hong Ha, General Director of Vietnam Airlines, said that the domestic air transport market has changed a lot in the past year. The peak season of summer 2023 ended very early, the peak season of Lunar New Year just passed, the domestic air transport market decreased by 13% compared to 2023. Market developments, passenger demand as well as the ability of airlines to provide transport due to aircraft maintenance conditions, recalled aircraft engines, etc. are factors that can affect the exploitation situation of airlines in 2024.

Meanwhile, international air passengers grew strongly. During the recent Lunar New Year peak, the international air transport market recorded strong growth with approximately 748.6 thousand passengers (an increase of 54% over the same period in 2023). Noi Bai International Airport said that on the highest day, there were 233 international flights, nearly 38 thousand passengers departing and arriving on international flights via Noi Bai Airport, surpassing the highest day in 2019 (37 thousand passengers). This is a record number for Noi Bai Airport.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/hang-khong-len-ke-hoach-khai-thac-cao-diem-he-2024-19624030121275914.htm