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Since the HCMC-Nanning-Chengdu service was launched a half year
ago, China’s Sichuan Airlines is considering daily flights to HCMC instead of
two weekly flights as now.
Also, the carrier plans to launch direct flights to Chengdu without transiting
in Nanning, said Hu Pingshu, vice director-general for commercial of Sichuan
Airlines Co. Ltd. He described the route as good with average seat occupancy of
70%.
“We will open daily flights when the average seat occupancy reaches 80%. We
expect to increase our flights to 3 or 4 per week before starting daily
flights,” said Hu.
There are currently two weekly flights using Airbus planes between HCMC and
Chengdu of Sichuan Province every Monday and Thursday.
Chengdu is the hub of famous Chinese tourism destinations such as Leshan Giant
Budda, Mount Emei, the Golden Summit, and Jiuzhaigou Valley. It is also the
gateway to Tibet.
Before the HCMC-Nanning-Chengdu route was launched, passengers had to stop over
in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai or Nannning before going on to Chengdu.
Hu said the passengers of the air route are mostly Chinese, so the airline wants
to boost the number of Vietnamese tourists. “We are providing discount air fares
for tour operators sending visitors to Chengdu.”
Previously, Sichuan’s Tourism Promotion Bureau and Vietnam National
Administration of Tourism have signed a memorandum of cooperation in bilateral
tourism promotion.
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