On April 23rd, many flights during the April 30th and May 1st holidays to tourist destinations such as Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Da Nang, etc., offered surprisingly cheap prices compared to a few weeks prior.
Forced to lower prices.
Ms. Hoang Minh Tam (residing in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City) said that on the afternoon of April 23rd, she accessed the websites of several airlines to find air tickets for the Ho Chi Minh City - Phu Quoc route and was surprised by the prices. Accordingly, if departing on April 27th, the ticket price was only from 672,000 VND/person (including taxes and fees); if flying on April 28th with airlines such as Vietjet, Vietnam Airlines , Bamboo Airways, etc., the price was from 1.35 million VND/person. This means the round-trip airfare was only from 2.7 million VND instead of the lowest price of around 3.5 million VND if booked at the beginning of April 2023.
There are still plenty of airline tickets available for different times of the day. In previous holidays, airline tickets often sold out quickly, with only early morning or late evening tickets remaining.
Flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to tourist destinations such as Nha Trang, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, and Da Lat also have ticket prices reduced by up to 40%, or even 50%, compared to about 2-3 weeks ago.
In early April, many passengers complained about having to buy round-trip air tickets on these routes at very high prices. Ms. Le Ngoc Hanh (from Hanoi) said she spent 15 million VND on round-trip air tickets for her family of three from Hanoi to Da Nang on April 28th. This works out to 5 million VND per person – double the usual price.
Passengers check in at Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi) before the April 30th and May 1st holidays. Photo: TAN THANH
With the busy and popular Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route, round-trip tickets are being offered by Vietjet, Bamboo Airways, and Pacific Airlines starting from 3.1 million VND. Meanwhile, Vietnam Airlines is selling tickets from 4 million VND, a significant decrease compared to a few weeks ago.
A representative from Bamboo Airways explained that air transport services are highly seasonal. During peak periods such as the April 30th and May 1st holidays, travel demand surges, while airlines have limited capacity, leading to inflated ticket prices.
The recent fluctuations in airfare prices have surprised many, especially those who bought tickets at higher prices a few weeks ago. Some people familiar with the aviation market explain that airlines previously kept prices high in anticipation of increased demand during the five-day holiday period. However, passenger demand has not increased as much as in previous holidays, forcing airlines to lower prices in the lower price ranges.
Meanwhile, according to a survey by a reporter from Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, many families with young children have decided not to travel far during this holiday because students are preparing for their second semester exams.
Fly to the opposite end of the plane to get cheaper tickets.
Although airfares on popular routes during the holiday season have dropped significantly compared to before, many people still choose to fly on one-way flights to save money. Ms. Pham Thanh Xuan (residing in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) said she just booked a flight for her mother from Quy Nhon to Ho Chi Minh City for less than 1 million VND per leg, including taxes and fees.
"I booked tickets for my mother to visit during this holiday, combining visiting her grandchildren with a vacation. I bought them late, but there were still many tickets available for 159,000 VND, 259,000 VND, and 359,000 VND (excluding taxes and fees), which are 30%-40% lower than a few weeks ago. Instead of the whole family traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Quy Nhon, which would cost more, I chose to bring my mother to visit with family; it's cheaper and less crowded," Ms. Xuan explained.
According to airlines, during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), there is often a situation where flight tickets are very cheap. Sometimes, tickets are offered for as little as a few tens of thousands of dong (excluding taxes and fees) due to low demand. For example, during the peak period before Tet this year, flights from Ho Chi Minh City to the Central and Northern regions were expensive and fully booked, while in the opposite direction, planes may have to fly empty because there were no passengers.
Beware of counterfeit tickets and price gouging.
A representative from Vietravel Airlines stated that as of April 22nd, all of the airline's flights departing between April 28th and May 3rd had achieved an average occupancy rate of over 97.4% and this rate continues to increase due to the relatively high number of customers booking tickets close to the departure date.
Vietravel Airlines' domestic flights connecting to tourist cities recorded high passenger numbers, such as: Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang, Quy Nhon, Phu Quoc; Hanoi - Da Nang… Many passengers chose to travel to neighboring countries due to the long holiday period. For example, the Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City - Bangkok (Thailand) route operated by Vietravel Airlines had an occupancy rate of over 92%.
Bamboo Airways plans to continue increasing its domestic flight capacity by 25,000 seats per day, a 15% increase during this holiday period. The airline will increase flight frequencies across its entire network, focusing on key routes such as Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and tourist routes to Da Nang, Quy Nhon, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, etc.
Vietnam Airlines and VASCO are expected to provide nearly 551,000 seats (equivalent to nearly 2,800 flights) on domestic routes from April 26 to May 5, a slight increase compared to the same period last year. The airlines are continuing to release more seats to meet the high demand from passengers.
Currently, some Bamboo Airways routes have high booking rates, exceeding 90%, with some flights reaching 100%, such as Hanoi - Nha Trang, Da Nang, Quy Nhon, Hue, Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Quang Binh; and Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Hue, Quy Nhon, Con Dao, Vinh.
Notably, airlines have recently advised passengers to be cautious and avoid purchasing counterfeit tickets. Vietnam Airlines Group (comprising Vietnam Airlines, VASCO, and Pacific Airlines) and relevant authorities have reported several cases of passengers purchasing fake tickets from websites, organizations, and individuals claiming to be airline agents. To avoid being scammed, airlines recommend passengers purchase tickets through official channels.
"The most common scam method today involves individuals impersonating travel agencies, creating websites and social media pages with similar addresses and designs to those of official airlines or agencies, and then advertising very attractive prices. If customers contact them, these individuals will send them a booking code as proof and request payment. After receiving the payment, they do not issue the tickets and cut off contact. Because the booking code has not been issued as a flight ticket, it will automatically cancel after a while, and customers only find out about this when they arrive at the airport," a representative from Vietnam Airlines explained.
According to Vietravel Airlines, the surge in ticket sales during the April 30th and May 1st holidays caused ticket prices on some key routes, especially to popular tourist destinations, to increase by 30%-40% or sell out quickly. Taking advantage of this situation, many websites of unknown origin or individuals impersonating airline representatives are selling cheap airline tickets for profit.
"Passengers need to proactively research and be cautious about unusually cheap ticket prices compared to the general market. Contact information and a list of agents are always updated on the airline's website… Passengers should not share personal information or bank account details to avoid being exploited or inadvertently assisting in other online scams," a representative from Vietravel Airlines advised.
Railways increase trains, offer incentives.
Saigon Railway Transport Joint Stock Company announced that for the upcoming April 30th and May 1st holidays, they have opened ticket sales for 58 trains traveling between Ho Chi Minh City and other destinations. To accommodate families or groups who prefer private space on the train, the company is offering discounts on entire cabins and carriages. Specifically, a 10% discount is offered for purchasing an entire cabin, and a 15% discount for purchasing an entire carriage. This offer is valid from March 20th to April 26th. Tickets are sold directly at train stations and through call centers.
According to Vietnam Railways Corporation, in addition to maintaining the Thong Nhat passenger train services, from April 28th to May 3rd, the corporation will increase the number of trains by 52 on various routes, especially to provinces and cities that attract a large number of tourists.
Meanwhile, as observed on the afternoon of April 23rd, the ticket area of the Eastern Bus Station (Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) was operating at a reduced capacity. Most passengers came here to buy tickets for same-day travel. Many ticket counters had also ceased operations.
A representative from Hong Hai bus company stated that due to the lack of an official price list, they are unable to sell tickets to customers wishing to travel during the April 30th and May 1st holidays. Currently, passengers wishing to purchase bus tickets for this holiday period can book by phone. A representative from Sau Ban bus company also stated the same.
T. Hong - L. Vinh
Demand for self-drive car rentals has dropped sharply.
Car rental businesses in Ho Chi Minh City have noted that demand for self-drive car rentals during the April 30th and May 1st holidays this year is lower than last year. Rental prices for self-drive cars during this period are similar to the same period last year.
According to Kiet Pham, Vice President and Country Director of Zoomcar Vietnam, the demand for self-drive car rentals during this holiday season has increased by about 50% compared to normal days. Zoomcar currently has a fairly abundant supply of vehicles.
Mr. Nguyen Van Long, Director of Sigo Vietnam Co., Ltd., said that so far, customers are mainly checking prices rather than rushing to book a car. Compared to normal days, if customers book a car rental last month, the price increases by about 30%, booking at the beginning of April increases by 50%, and booking at this time will increase by 100%.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chu Phat Dat, Director of the self-drive car rental platform Ibookcar, said that customers are booking 7-seater cars quite frequently for family trips, while the demand for 4-seater cars is not high. Mr. Dat commented that this year's holiday season, many people chose to travel by bus or coach, or rent a car one way to reduce costs. "The number of self-drive rental cars this year is abundant. Customers don't have to worry about a shortage of cars in the days leading up to the holiday. In addition, there are also many private cars that are being used for self-drive rental services," he said.
Ng. Hai
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