National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and low-cost Jetstar Pacific scheduled seven extra flights between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to meet high travel demand before Tet, the traditional New Year of Vietnam.

The flights, with about 1,300 seats, are operated from February 12-14, or the 27th – 29th of the last lunar month as flights between the two metropolises were always 90-99 percent full over the last few days.

According to the plan, Vietnam Airlines runs two more flights a day, one departing from Hanoi at 14:50 and another taking off from HCM City at 18:00.

Jetstar Pacific operates an additional flight from HCM City to Hanoi at 10:30 on February 12.

To implement the plan, the airlines had to carry out aircraft maintenance at night so planes can be ready for use in the days.

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam estimated that there will be more than 4 million passengers going through Tan Son Nhat International Airport during this Tet, up 25 percent from the same period last year.-VNA