Airlines operate more than 1,000 empty flights to welcome passengers during Tet

(NLDO) - Vietnam Airlines has dispatched more than 1,000 one-way ferry flights so that planes can return to airports where passengers are waiting in time.

During the peak period of Lunar New Year 2025 (January 13 to February 12), Vietnam Airlines Group (including Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, VASCO) is estimated to transport nearly 2.4 million passengers, an increase of nearly 16% over the same period of Tet 2024.

Vietnam Airlines check-in counter at Noi Bai airport on the peak day of the Tet holiday on February 2, 2025 (the 5th day of the Lunar New Year). Photo: Phan Cong

Specifically, Vietnam Airlines Group operated a total of 15,400 flights, an increase of nearly 200 flights compared to the plan and nearly 2,500 flights, equivalent to an increase of 16% compared to the same period of Tet last year. Domestic and international passenger transport reached 1.7 million and 0.7 million passengers, respectively, an increase of more than 20% compared to the same period of Tet 2024.

In the context of a shortage of aircraft fleet due to the impact of engine recalls by manufacturers, a series of solutions to increase supply capacity have been implemented by airlines in the Vietnam Airlines Group to ensure smooth travel for people during the Lunar New Year.

The airline has leased 3 Airbus A321 aircraft for the short term to serve passengers during Tet, operating nearly 1,200 night and early morning flights, an increase of 52% over the same period, helping to provide more than 237,000 seats. Accepting the impact on business efficiency when costs increase, without revenue, the airline has mobilized more than 1,000 one-way flights without passengers (ferries) so that the aircraft can promptly return to airports where there are many waiting passengers.

To ensure safety and service quality, Vietnam Airlines has implemented many synchronous measures such as technical inspections, maintaining operational reliability of the aircraft fleet; implementing two-way fuel carrying methods and many other solutions to ensure punctuality when flights suddenly increase and the weather is unfavorable.

The airline closely monitors traffic volume, air traffic operations, and weather conditions to make timely operational adjustments and minimize flight delays and chain delays.

In addition, Vietnam Airlines continuously analyzes and updates booking data, eliminates false bookings, and manages scientific flight schedules. The airline also mobilizes maximum resources under the direction of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to support passengers to travel quickly and conveniently.

At the same time, service quality is also upgraded, from airport experience to in-flight services, promoting the application of digital technology , from booking tickets to checking in, creating maximum convenience for customers.

In particular, during the Tet holiday, the airline has deployed many services to serve the needs of spring travel and Tet holiday of passengers such as transporting apricot and peach blossoms as checked baggage. On Tet flights, passengers are also served dishes with traditional Tet flavors such as sticky rice with gac fruit, pork roll, fried pork roll, sausage, bamboo shoot soup, mushroom soup, etc. or dishes with special ingredients such as moc van am (also known as moc ngu sac).

Air transport output during Tet holiday increased to a "record" high

Previously, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said that during the Lunar New Year holiday period in 2025 (from January 24 to February 2), the total passenger transport volume of the whole market reached 2.5 million passengers (up 17.8% over the same period in 2024). During these 9 days, Vietnamese airlines transported more than 1.67 million passengers, up 12.8%, and nearly 7,000 tons of cargo, up 4% over the same period in 2024.

Airlines have added 15 planes to meet peak transport demand, bringing the total number of planes in operation to 212.

Airlines have increased thousands of flights at night (Vietnam Airlines arranged 1,500 flights, Vietjet 1,590 flights, Bamboo 260 flights)...

Source: https://nld.com.vn/hang-hang-khong-dieu-hon-1000-chuyen-bay-rong-don-khach-dip-tet-196250206150813717.htm