HÀ NỘI — Aviation authorities are urging airlines to add extra flights as millions of people prepare to travel for the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday, with popular domestic routes already close to full and demand sharply skewed in one direction as the peak holiday rush gathers pace.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said it is closely tracking bookings and economy fares across the domestic network and has asked carriers to boost capacity on routes where seats are selling out fastest.

Airlines have been given the go-ahead to bring 19 additional aircraft into service, four more than last year, lifting the total active fleet over the Tết peak to roughly 218 planes.

Slot limits at the two busiest airports, Nội Bài International Airport and Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, have also been raised to between 46 and 48 take-offs and landings an hour.

The aim is to give airlines room to add flights, operate overnight services, and release more seats at a range of price points.

Several regional airports, including Thọ Xuân, Đồng Hới, Chu Lai and Tuy Hòa, have also been urged to switch to round-the-clock operations to accommodate the surge.

Full one way, empty the other

As in previous years, travel demand around Tết is sharply lopsided.

In the days leading up to the holiday, flights from HCM City to central and northern provinces are packed, while aircraft heading back south often fly half-empty. After Tết, the traffic flips as workers and students return to the country’s economic hub.

Routes from HCM City to destinations such as Huế, Thanh Hóa, Vinh and Đồng Hới are already more than 90 per cent booked, with some services sold out entirely.

In the opposite direction, many flights are operating with less than 35 per cent of seats filled, forcing airlines to fly empty planes simply to reposition aircraft.

From Hà Nội, pre-holiday demand has been more subdued, with most flights to central and southern destinations running at between 30 and 60 per cent capacity.

Two routes stand out. Services to Đồng Hới and Điện Biên are seeing heavy demand, with bookings hitting between 88 and 100 per cent on peak days between February 12 and 15.

After the holiday, flights back to HCM City are expected to be near full on many routes, including those from Pleiku, Tuy Hòa, Quy Nhơn and Hải Phòng.

On the busy HCM City–Hà Nội route, demand is concentrated within a narrow window.

Northbound flights before Tết, from February 11 to 14, are running at between 83 and 90 per cent capacity, while southbound services after the holiday, from February 21 to 23, are between 80 and 94 per cent full.

Ticket prices were broadly stable two weeks before Tết, the aviation authority said. However, as the holiday draws closer, economy seats on many domestic routes, particularly those departing HCM City, are becoming harder to find, with some flights already sold out.

Between February 12 and 21, airlines are expected to handle around 2.85 million passengers, up more than 11 per cent from last year. International travel is forecast at about 1.6 million passengers, while domestic traffic is projected at roughly 1.25 million.

The aviation authority said it will continue working with airlines to fine-tune schedules and add capacity where possible as the country braces for its busiest travel season of the year. — VNS