According to statistics from the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority, in the past nine months of this year, Vietnamese carriers, including Vietnam Airlines Group (Vietnam Airlines, Vasco, Pacific Airlines), Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways, and Vietravel Airlines, operated a total of 194,027 flights.
Passengers checking in. Photo: Phan Cong
Of these, Vietnam Airlines operated 83,552 flights with an on-time performance of 83%. Vietjet Air operated a total of 83,326 flights with a 63% on-time rate. Bamboo Airways operated 13,064 flights with an on-time performance of 82.8%.Â
Vietravel operated 4,910 flights with an on-time rate of 81.5%. VASCO, with 5,461 flights and an on-time performance of 85%, was the most punctual among the domestic carriers.
Thus, the average on-time performance of all carriers was 74.2%, according to the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority.
In the past nine months, delayed flights accounted for a significant proportion, with 25.8% (equivalent to 50,031 out of 194,027 flights) being delayed.
Of these, Vietnam Airlines had 14,212 delayed flights (accounting for 17% of its total operated flights), Vietjet Air had 30,818 delayed flights (37%), Bamboo Airways had 2,250 (17.2%), Vietravel had 908 (18.5%), Pacific Airlines had 1,050 (28.3%), and VASCO had 793 delayed flights (14.5%).
Late incoming flights were the main reason for delays, accounting for 59.4% of cases, with carrier-related issues contributing 29.3%.
In September alone, Vietnamese carriers operated 17,720 flights, a significant decrease from the previous month, with an on-time performance of 76.6%. There were also 4,142 delayed flights, accounting for 23.4%.
The most common reason for flight delays was late incoming aircraft. This reflects the fact that when an aircraft arrives late, it can affect not only the subsequent flights of the same carrier but also those of other carriers at the airport due to the interdependent nature of airline operations.
According to the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority, the main reason for the high number of delayed flights is the significant reduction in the transport force and fleet size of Vietnamese carriers, which has led to a sharp decrease in supply capacity on their routes.
The aviation industry has implemented a range of synchronized solutions, focusing on adjusting flight schedules, reducing turn-around times, optimizing daily flight operations, and increasing flights during the afternoon and evening peak hours.
Currently, the average daily flight operation time for carriers has increased compared to the same period in 2023. Vietnam Airlines’ fleet operates an average of 13 hours per aircraft per day, a 22% increase over 2023. Vietjet Air’s average daily operation time is 14.5 hours, an increase of 11.5%. Vietravel Airlines’ fleet operates an average of 11.5 hours per day, a 21% increase, while Bamboo Airways’ average daily operation time is 12.5 hours, a 20.1% increase.
However, this solution also has its drawbacks and limitations, as it can potentially lead to an increase in technical issues and flight cancellations. The Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority has directed carriers to enhance aircraft maintenance checks before and during the peak season and coordinate closely with ground handling agents to ensure efficient flight operations…
Looking ahead, carriers are expected to receive additional aircraft and have plans to lease more to supplement their existing fleets, which will reduce supply pressure on existing routes and better meet passenger demand.
