NDO - Vietnamese carriers are expected to serve 141,600 international passengers in the first quarter of 2022, up 441% over the same period last year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

International cargo transport is forecast to reach 38,000 tonnes, a year-on-year rise of 113.9%.

The international passenger throughput of Vietnamese airports is expected to reach 321,000 between January and March, up 176.2% from the prior year, while the cargo throughput is estimated at 292,000 tonnes, up 21.1%.

As of March, there were 23 foreign and domestic airlines operating international flights between Vietnam and 20 countries and territories. They are operating 67 routes, mainly to or from Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat International Airports.

In the first week since Vietnam was fully open, Singapore Airlines operated the largest number of flights at 45, equivalent to 36% of the figures recorded in the same period back in 2019.

The flights between Vietnam and Japan were the busiest during this period, carrying 10,300 passengers, accounting for 18.1% of the total number of passengers.

For domestic flights, six carriers are operating 55-60 routes linking Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City with 19 local destinations.

The domestic passenger throughput at Vietnamese airports in the first quarter of 2022 is expected to reach 13 million, down 13.3% from the previous year, while the cargo throughput is also projected to go down by 5% to 98,000 tonnes.