Airlines racing to offer super-cheap airfares

16:43' 24/07/2007 (GMT+7)

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam Airlines and Pacific Airlines both have announced they will launch promotional programmes, starting the race to attract more clients with super-cheap airfares. Pacific Airlines has announced the ‘Low fare everyday’ programme and the opening of two new domestic routes, from HCM City to tourism destinations. As of September 21, Pacific Airlines will provide one flight a day from HCM City to Nha Trang with Boeing B737-400, 168 economy class seats. The flight departs from HCM City at 11.30 am and from the central city at 12.45 pm every day. Beginning December 1, 2007, Pacific Airlines will provide one flight a day from HCM City to Hue city (departure at 7.00 am from HCM City, and 8.50 am from Hue). The airfare structure applied for the new routes (HCM City-Hue and HCM City-Nha Trang) will be the same as the airfare applied for the routes to Hanoi and Da Nang. Currently, the airline offers two airfares, Sky Saver and Sky Flex, with 11 price levels. In principle, passengers can buy tickets at low prices if they book tickets soon. Moreover, the airline offers special discounts for groups of domestic and foreign travellers (more than 10 passengers). Due to the success of the two promotional campaigns in February and May 2007, during which the airline offered super cheap tickets (Sky Super Saver) at VND15,000, VND150,000 and VND500,000/trip and more than 80,000 tickets were sold, Pacific Airlines has decided to apply the ‘Everyday Low Fare’ programme. Under the new programme, Sky Super Saver and Sky Saver tickets will be automatically allocated to different flights. Passengers may have to change their travel plans in order to enjoy attractive airfares. In order to buy super cheap tickets of Pacific Airlines under the new programme (passengers are not informed about the promotion time), passengers should plan their trips as soon as possible. In addition, they should check airfares regularly at www.pacificairlines.com.vn or contact booking agents of Pacific Airlines. Prior to that, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines announced it would offer super cheap tickets for flights from Vietnam to Thailand, at $19 only. Trinh Ngoc Thanh, Vietnam Airlines’ spokesman, said that this was one of a lot of promotional programmes launched by Vietnam Airlines which aimed to diversify products and airfares, thus stimulating demand. The programme is to be applied throughout the country for tickets to be issued from July 20. The flights will be carried out between August 15 and October 31, 2007. It is estimated that some 20,000 seats, or 35% of seats on every flight, will be open for tickets with discounts. Passengers will still have to pay surcharges for fuel and airport fees ($14 in Noi Bai and $24 in Bangkok). Mr Thanh has also announced that the airline will launch a promotional programme for domestic flights during the low season, commencing from August 1-10, to be applied for flights from September 10 to October 31, 2007. The expected discount rates will be very big, 35-52%, or VND290-790,000/trip. It is estimated that some 25,000 seats will be open for the discount programme. H. Phuong, Viet Nam Net