Chartered flights from Can Tho surge

The number of chartered flights taking Mekong Delta tourists from Can Tho City to other countries has increased, according to World Transportation Services JSC (WorldTrans).

Thai tourists come to Can Tho City on the first chartered flight between Can Tho and Bangkok in July 2015 - PHOTO: HUYNH KIM

Speaking to the Daily over the resumption in June of Can Tho-Bangkok chartered flights, WorldTrans chairman and general director Vu Duc Bien said the number of tourists traveling abroad from the Mekong Delta through Can Tho International Airport is on the rise as they can save money and time.

WorldTrans arranges chartered flights for groups of 10 to 20 passengers to local and foreign destinations.

Last year, WorldTrans cooperated with Vietravel to operate 40 chartered flights to foreign destinations and serve more than 1,600 people traveling from Can Tho to Thailand. WorldTrans has worked with airlines to offer 100 chartered flights to Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan and other ASEAN countries and one-third of passengers on such flights are from Can Tho City.

Le Dinh Minh Thy, director of Vietravel in Can Tho, said this is the fourth year Vietravel has arranged chartered flights operated by different carriers for tourists to visit Thailand. The number of customers has grown steadily, bringing business opportunities to tour operators.

Can Tho vice chairman Dao Anh Dung said the city wants more chartered flights to serve local residents as tourists will have to spend an additional six hours going from Can Tho to HCMC if they fly abroad from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC.

Pham Thanh Tam, director of Can Tho International Airport, shared Dung’s view, saying the number of passengers flying from the airport has edged up an average 25% annually in the past five years.

Can Tho-Bangkok chartered flights will be resumed from June 6 using Airbus 320 aircraft configured with 180 seats of Thai Vietjet Air with a flying time of 85 minutes.

These flights will depart from Can Tho at 09:05 a.m. and arrive in Bangkok at 10:35 a.m. Return flights to Can Tho will take off in Bangkok at 07:00 a.m.

Return tickets cost VND4.6 million (US$201.6) , including tax and fee. Air tickets are available on the website www.worldtrans.vn and at ticketing offices of domestic travel companies.

Huynh Kim