Airfare prices increase during Tet

There are still more than 4 months to go until Lunar New Year but most airlines have opened ticket sales. This year, the total ticket prices of all airlines are higher than last year.

Ms. Hoa, in District 7 (HCMC) said that last year she booked a flight ticket from HCMC - Chu Lai - HCMC for 5 people for only 26 million VND, but this year it increased to 29.7 million VND.

“At first when I ordered, I thought I was mistaken because the original price (net price) the company offered was the same as the old price, but when I paid, it was much more expensive. However, I only go back to my hometown once a year, so I had to pay reluctantly,” said Ms. Hoa.

Also confirming that ticket prices are higher than previous years, Ms. Hang, the owner of an airline ticket agency in Binh Thanh District (HCMC), said that this year's increase is 5-10%. Therefore, when selling tickets, she has to explain to customers that it is due to increased taxes and fees.

The survey shows that the total price of economy class tickets for the Hanoi - Saigon - Hanoi route ranges from 7 to 9 million VND for a round trip ticket. Tickets to the Central provinces and some other Northern provinces are around 6 to 8 million VND for a round trip ticket, an increase compared to previous years.

Total airfare prices for Tet this year are higher than every year.

Through discussions, the airlines all said that the announced ticket prices excluding taxes and fees for Tet this year did not increase compared to previous years. However, the total ticket price including taxes and fees increased by 3-10% compared to previous years. The reason for the increase in the total ticket price is due to the high increase in airport taxes and fees. Since the beginning of June, airlines have simultaneously increased service fees, causing ticket prices to increase.

Currently, two low-cost airlines, Jetstar Pacific and Vietjet Air, have opened ticket sales for all domestic routes since September 18. Vietnam Airlines has only opened ticket sales for business class.

Jetstar Pacific said that this year's Lunar New Year, the airline plans to operate 3,210 flights, providing nearly 600,000 seats to serve passengers. As for Vietjet, in addition to selling millions of Tet tickets for domestic and international routes, the airline also opens many new routes, increasing the number of flights compared to normal days to serve the travel and family reunion needs of people during the Tet holiday.

As for Vietnam Airlines, economy class tickets are expected to be officially opened for sale from late September to early October 2018 with specific prices.