Facilitate early increase of flights between HCMC and Ca Mau

On June 25, news from the Office of the People’s Committee of Ca Mau Province reported that the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee had just issued a directive to provincial departments, branches, agencies, and local People’s Committees to enhance promotion and create favorable conditions to soon increase the frequency of flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Ca Mau and vice versa.

Specifically, the Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ca Mau Province directed relevant agencies, units, and localities to study and understand the content, and widely disseminate information to civil servants, public employees, workers, and residents about the flight schedule and exploitation plan of the Ho Chi Minh City – Ca Mau route and vice versa to proactively arrange work and other necessary activities. Simultaneously, according to their assigned functions and tasks, they are to actively coordinate with Ca Mau Aviation Service Company Branch, Ca Mau Airport, and related units to enhance promotion, coordination, support, and create favorable conditions for Vietnam Airlines Corporation to soon increase the frequency of flights and maintain the exploitation frequency of the route.

As Thanh Nien has reported, Ca Mau Province requested the maintenance of the Ho Chi Minh City – Ca Mau route with a frequency of 7 flights per week. Subsequently, Vietnam Airlines Corporation responded with information that from June 14 to July 31, they had reduced the frequency of the Ho Chi Minh City – Ca Mau route on Fridays and Sundays (from 7 flights per week to 5 flights per week). Explaining the reduction in flights, Vietnam Airlines Corporation provided data showing that the efficiency of this route’s exploitation was gradually decreasing.

Specifically, from October 2023, the unit increased the frequency from 5 flights per week to 7 flights per week. From the implementation of this increased frequency until March 2023, the average seat utilization rate reached 83%, 2 points higher than the same period. However, by April 2024, the average seat utilization rate was only 68%, approximately 8 – 9 points lower than the same period. Particularly, flights on Fridays and Sundays had an average seat utilization rate of only about 50%, not ensuring efficiency for maintaining exploitation.

Vietnam Airlines Corporation stated that they are closely monitoring the situation regarding the restoration of the 7 flights per week frequency starting from August 1. Regarding the proposal to change the flight times on the Ho Chi Minh City – Ca Mau route on Fridays and Sundays, the unit stated that currently, there are no resources in terms of aircraft and slots to meet this request.

@Thanhnien.vn