Vietnam Airlines will arrange one more direct flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Bacolod in the Philippines to serve football fans, following the news that the national men’s football team has entered the semi-finals of the 2018 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup, said the national flag carrier.

Vietnamese football fans

The first-leg semi-final match between Vietnam and the Philippines will take place in Panaad Stadium in Bacolod on December 2.

Earlier, the airline launched two direct flights from Hanoi to Bacolod to carry the national football team and fans, instead of the normal civilian flight journey which includes several transit stops.

A representative of Vietnam Airlines said the additional direct flight from HCM City to the Philippines aims to meet the increasing demand of Vietnamese football fans desperate to watch the match. 

The flight, on one of the Airbus A321 aircraft, is scheduled to depart from HCM City at 11am on December 2 with a return journey at 23:30pm the same day (local time).

Vietnam Airlines will join hands with tourism companies to devise travel packages on the day, which will include the flight and match tickets, a tour guide, and travelling fees for tourists.

According to the carrier, it may take up to 15 hours to fly from Vietnam to the Philippines on a normal journey due to the transit time in two other cities. However, the direct flight will only take three to four hours, thus making the day trip more manageable for Vietnam’s avid football fans.–VNA