Two months after announcing an increase in flights to Australia (which was less than a month after launching), Vietjet says it will up frequencies again, from 20 to 34 flights per week – equal to a whopping 70 per cent increase in capacity.
From 1 December 2023, the airline will increase its Ho Chi Minh City-Melbourne service from four flights per week to daily, while from 5 December, it will match that growth between Ho Chi Minh City and Sydney.
Flights from MEL and SYD depart for SGN at 0130 and 1115 respectively.
From 6 December, the low-cost carrier will also up capacity on Brisbane flights, which launched just last month, from twice-weekly to three flights per week.
Ex-BNE flights depart for SGN at 23:40 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The Hanoi-based airline puts the growth down to burgeoning demand for Vietnam-bound travel.
To mark the increase in capacity, passengers can receive up to 50 per cent off SkyBoss fares and Business Class fares until 15 July. This includes flights to the carrier’s international network comprising India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and other Southeast Asian destinations.
Vietjet is also offering free domestic flights within Vietnam for Australian travellers plus airfares from just AU$200 from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Vietnam, when booked this year.
Upon announcement of the Sydney service earlier this year, Vietjet Vice President Nguyen Thanh Son said that the airline planned to expand to other Aussie cities including Darwin and Adelaide “in the coming year”, but no further announcements about these routes have been made.
Additionally, the airline stated it aims to grow its network to reach five continents in 2023, which could mean launching services to North America, Europe and/or at least one other continent within the next six months. Next to that ambition, extra routes to Australia seem entirely feasible.
