Nearly 500, or 10.1 percent, of the over 4,780 flights operating during the six-day Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays were delayed, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has said.

Passengers receive their baggage at the Tan Son Nhat Airport on January 31

Another 18 flights were cancelled, it has reported.

At least 77.5 percent of the flights were delayed because of late arrivals, said Vo Huy Cuong, deputy head of CAAV.

Some 22.2 percent of the flights were delayed because of technical malfunctions, poor service at airports and flight management problems. Poor weather conditions also contributed to the problem, he added.

According to the CAAV report, from January 26 to 31, airlines across the country handled more than 1.47 million passengers, an increase of 20.3 percent, and 9,400 tonnes of cargo, 28.2 percent more when compared to the same period last year.

Airlines added 1,270 flights to meet the increasing demand in the country before and after the Tet holidays.

VietJet Air added more than 560 flights; Vietnam Airlines added 380 flights, while Jeststar Pacific added 330 flights to accommodate more passengers.

The railway sector catered to some 200,610 passengers during the six-day Lunar New Year festival, an increase of 69.44 percent compared to the same period last year, the Ministry of Transport reported.

VNA