VietNamNet Bridge – From January to May this year, up to 25 percent of the total flights of local air carriers were delayed or canceled, compared to 16 percent during the same period last year, according to the Vietnam Civil Aviation Administration.

Vietjet Air had the highest rate of delayed and cancelled flights with 51%, followed by Jetstar Pacific with 50%, VASCO with 17 percent and Vietnam Airlines with 14%.

The VCAA’s report said inadequate infrastructure at airports affected delays, especially during peak hours.

According to a Vietjet Air report, up to 50% of its cancelled or delayed flights were caused by problems related to landing and taking off activities and 40 percent by chain reactions.

In the first half of 2014, the Vietnam aviation industry carried 16.3 million passengers, 372,000 tonnes of cargo, an increase of 13.2% and 24.3%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2013.

The total number of passengers and the volume of cargo transport via Vietnam’s airports were estimated at 24.7 million passengers and 448,000 tonnes of cargo, up 15% and 22%, respectively.

The current fleet of Vietnam’s airlines includes 102 planes with an average age of 6.2 years, including 42 planes owned by Vietnamese airlines.

In the first half of this year, the number of flights of the three local carriers, Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and Vietjet Air, were 61,660, 14,495 and 7,180, respectively.

Son Tung