Vietnam Airlines said it will add nearly 1,800 more seats on flights between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on December 6 and 7 to make it easier for football fans to travel to Hanoi for the semifinal return leg between Vietnam and the Philippines in the ASEAN Federation Football (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2018. 

Players of Vietnamese and Philippine teams in their semifinal return leg of the Philippines in the ASEAN Federation Football (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2018

The additional seats (equivalent to eight flights) bring up the total number of seats offered by the airline during the two days to 23,000. The flights will be operated on Boeing 787-9, as well as Airbus A321 and A350 aircraft.

Detailed information can be found on www.vietnamairlines.com and www.facebook.com/VietnamAirlines or via the hotline 1900 1100. 

Earlier, the airline operated three direct flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Bacolod in the Philippines, to carry the national football team and fans to the city where the semifinal first leg took place. These flights, instead of the normal civilian one which includes several transit stops and may take up to 15 hours, only last three to four hours.

The first match saw Vietnam winning 2-1 against the host team. The two are scheduled to meet again at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on December 6. The winners will take on either Thailand or Malaysia in the final.

The AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 runs from November 8 to December 15. This year, it features a new playing format, with both home and away ties.

In the tournament’s history, Vietnam won the championship just once in 2008. With the leadership of coach Park Hang-seo and the current squad, both Vietnamese and Korean football fans are hopeful that the S-shaped country’s team will take the trophy for the second time after 10 years awaiting.-VNA