A Vietnam Airlines aircraft seen at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City. — VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp

HCM CITY — Several airlines are offering free tickets and discounts on popular routes for the end of the year in response to public outcry over the recent surge in domestic airfare prices.

Some of the routes benefiting from the promotions include Hà Nội – Phú Quốc, HCM City – Nha Trang, and HCM City – Đà Nẵng, among others.

Low-cost carrier Vietjet Air is offering free tickets for flights from Hà Nội to Phú Quốc in September, with additional fees and taxes of VNĐ640,000 (US$25.15) applied.

More free tickets will also be available on this route in the last two months of 2024, along with discounted tickets for November and December priced at VNĐ1.05 million.

The budget airline is also providing free or discounted tickets for flights between HCM City and popular tourist destinations such as Nha Trang, Đà Nẵng, Quy Nhơn, and Huế in the last quarter.

Discounted tickets are also available for other routes such as Hà Nội – HCM City during off-peak hours, as well as Hà Nội – Đà Lạt.

Vietnam Airlines is also offering discounted tickets for Hà Nội – Phú Quốc flights at VNĐ1 million one-way in September, compared to the higher prices seen from June to August.

A screenshot of Vietnam Airlines weekend ticket promotion advertisement. — VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp

The recent domestic airfare surge, particularly on popular routes such as Hà Nội – HCM City, Hà Nội – Phú Quốc, Hà Nội/HCM City and Đà Nẵng, has caused a public outcry and sparked concerns in the tourism sector.

However, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has said the recent increase in domestic airfares complies with regulations set by authorities.

The CAAV attributed the rise to various factors, including higher fuel prices, exchange rate differences, engine recalls, aircraft lease costs, and increased demand.

The agency also warned continued high demand may result in further price increases during the peak summer season.

A screenshot showing the reservation information for a one-way ticket on low-cost carrier Vietjet Air from Hà Nội to Phú Quốc in September, 2024. — VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp

Following public outcry, an inspection had been conducted, focusing on pricing, transparency and information disclosure related to airfares since the beginning of the year.

The findings revealed that average economy class ticket prices on several domestic routes had increased by up to 25 per cent year-on-year in the first four months.

“A round-trip ticket on the HCM City – Hà Nội route on Vietnam Airlines cost over VNĐ6 million in April, compared to around VNĐ4.5 million last year,” a customer, who wanted to be unidentified, told Việt Nam News.

The transport ministry earlier announced a hike in the maximum prices for domestic flight routes starting from March 1, with prices increasing by VNĐ50,000-250,000 per one-way ticket for flights longer than 500km.

The CAAV has assured the public that they will work closely with airlines to ensure transparency and clarity in presenting airfare information on their websites.

According to a report by aviation authorities, local airlines transported 13 million passengers in the first quarter, a 5 per cent decrease compared to the same period in the previous year. — VNS