Uong Viet Dung, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, stated that to accommodate the surge in travel demand during Tet, airlines added 15 aircraft, bringing the total operational fleet to 212.

Additionally, the aviation authority increased the coordinated slot parameters at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat International Airports to 46–48 flights per hour. This adjustment allowed airlines to finalize their schedules earlier, add more capacity, and increase nighttime flights.

To further ease congestion, the authority also extended nighttime operating hours at regional airports and directed airlines to optimize flight schedules. This led to a significant increase in night flights, with Vietnam Airlines operating 1,500 flights, Vietjet 1,590 flights, and Bamboo Airways 260 flights.

"Operating night flights helps reduce airport congestion, minimizes delays and cancellations, and meets the rising demand for air travel," Uong Viet Dung noted.

Surge in air travel during Tet 2025

During the Tet holiday period from January 24 to February 2, 2025 (corresponding to the 25th day of the last lunar month to the 5th day of the first lunar month), total passenger traffic increased by 17.8% compared to the previous year.

International passenger traffic reached 1.35 million, marking a 23% increase, while domestic passenger traffic hit 1.14 million, reflecting a 12% rise from Tet 2024.

Total airport passenger throughput nationwide also grew by 16%, reaching nearly 3.6 million travelers.

Tan Son Nhat Airport, the busiest in Vietnam, recorded approximately 1.38 million passengers, a 7.6% increase.

Notably, during the peak travel days, Tan Son Nhat handled between 824 and 970 takeoffs and landings per day, with an average daily passenger volume of 138,000.

The highest single-day record was set on January 24 (the final working day before the Tet break), with the airport processing 1,002 flights - 10% more than the previous year - and accommodating 152,000 passengers, a 13% increase year-over-year.

At Noi Bai International Airport, officials reported that during the nine-day Tet holiday, the airport safely handled nearly 5,500 flights and 914,000 passengers. On peak days, Noi Bai operated up to 616 flights and served 108,000 passengers, surpassing last year's figures. Interestingly, during the holiday period, a total of 604 lost items were reported by passengers.

Challenges: Delays and congestion persist

Despite efforts to streamline operations, aviation officials acknowledged that flight delays and schedule disruptions remained a challenge during peak Tet travel days.

A significant factor contributing to these issues was adverse weather conditions, particularly fog and low cloud cover at northern airports.

Additionally, airport infrastructure overloads also caused delays, as increased operations resulted in longer taxiing times for aircraft waiting for parking spots or clearance for takeoff.

N. Huyen