HÀ NỘI — The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has granted permission to Qatar Airways to operate three combined flights on the Doha–Hà Nội–HCM City route.

Due to the temporary closure of Doha’s airspace amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the airline plans to operate flights on the DOH–HAN–SGN–HAN–DOH route from March 24 - 29, 2026.

According to the authority, these flights will not carry domestic passengers on the Hà Nội–HCM City leg. Instead, they are intended to transport passengers affected by the exceptional situation in the Middle East, while gradually restoring air transport activities between Qatar and Việt Nam, including passengers, cargo and parcels.

The latest update from the CAAV shows that international passenger traffic to Việt Nam has so far remained largely unaffected, except for a surge in arrivals from Europe during March–April 2026, as travellers seek to avoid routes passing through the Middle East. Other markets have not recorded significant changes in demand.

According to a report from Vietnam Airlines, airfares on international routes were relatively stable before the conflict. However, since the conflict broke out, average ticket prices this month have risen by more than 15 per cent year-on-year, with notable increases on routes to Europe, Australia and the US.

For domestic air transport, fares had remained stable and even declined compared to the same period last year, dropping 15 per cent in January and rising slightly by 4 per cent in February due to the timing of the Lunar New Year. However, in March, average ticket prices increased by 15–23 per cent, or about 20 per cent on average, following the onset of the conflict. — VNS