HÀ NỘI — Carriers have added 19 additional aircraft, four more than a year earlier, bringing the total number of planes in service during the peak Tết (Lunar New Year) period to about 216–218.

Uông Việt Dũng, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), shared that to ensure smooth travel and keep traffic orderly and safe during Tết and the 2026 Spring Festival, the authority has made it as easy as possible for airlines to add more aircraft during the busy season.

Regarding slot coordination, management and supervision, the CAAV has increased slot parameters at Nội Bài and Tân Sơn Nhất international airports to 46–48 flights per hour. This move enables airlines to operate more flights, including overnight services, while helping passengers access more reasonable airfares.

In addition, the authority has directed aviation agencies and units to mobilise all resources to meet travel demand during the Tet peak, especially by increasing flight frequencies and implementing 24/7 operations at airports with high demand, including Thọ Xuân, Đồng Hới, Chu Lai, Phù Cát, Pleiku and Tuy Hòa.

It has directed relevant units to keep a close eye on bookings, basic economy fares, and reservation data for domestic routes to gauge passenger demand. Depending on the findings, airlines might be asked to add more flights on routes with high booking rates, as long as it aligns with their operational capacity.

According to the official, domestic air travel during the Lunar New Year has clearly reflected an “imbalanced” travel pattern. In the pre-Tết period, flights from HCM City to central and northern localities have seen sharp increases in booking rates and are nearly full, while traffic in the opposite direction remains only moderate. After Tết, the situation is expected to reverse.

At present, during the pre-Tết peak, several routes from HCM City to destinations such as Huế, Thanh Hóa, Vinh, Pleiku, Tuy Hòa, Quy Nhơn, Chu Lai and Đồng Hới have recorded booking rates above 90 per cent, with some reaching 100 per cent. In contrast, return flights from localities to HCM City remain low, with many flights reporting booking rates below 35 per cent and several operating as ferry flights to return aircraft.

Flights from Hà Nội to central and southern localities in the pre-Tết period generally show lower booking rates, mostly ranging from 30 to 60 per cent. However, the Hà Nội -Đồng Hới and Hà Nội-Điện Biên routes have recorded stronger demand, with booking rates of 88–100 per cent during peak days from February 12 to 15, he said.

After Tết, booking rates on flights from localities back to HCM City rise sharply, commonly reaching 80–100 per cent. Routes from Pleiku, Tuy Hòa, Quy Nhơn, Chu Lai, Vinh, Thanh Hóa, Huế and Hải Phòng are reported to be nearly full.

On the HCM City–Hà Nội route, flights are busiest just before Tết and right after the holiday. From February 11 to 14, flights from HCM City to Hà Nội are about 83–90 per cent booked, while from February 21 to 23, flights from Hà Nội to HCM City are around 80–94 per cent full. — VNS