The Government has approved a bilateral agreement on air traffic service with Turkey on regular flights between and across the two countries’ territories.

The Government has also requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to accomplish diplomatic procedures in accordance with regulations and then inform concerned parties on the effective date of the accord.

Also, the Government has ratified a protocol to amend the country’s agreement on air service with New Zealand.

Vietnamese airlines cut fares as fuel costs plummet

Passengers of Vietnamese airlines now have the chance to travel at lower costs as the carriers have decided to slash airfares due to falling fuel costs, Tran Bao Ngoc, Head of the Transportation Department under the Ministry of Transport told Vietnam News Agency reporter.

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines is offering 9-80 percent discounts from regulated ceiling prices for both domestic and international routes while low cost airlines Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific are providing 9-100 percent discounts of their airfares.

According to Ngoc, in 2015, Vietjet Air nearly quadrupled its promotional tickets offered at 0 VND and lowered 8 percent of its average air fare prices compared to 2014. He said that a number of airlines have committed to setting up further promotional programmes in 2016.

The airlines sell tickets at different bands, based on demand-supply relations, airplane seating and time of ticket booking, he highlighted.

Airlines are not allowed to sell tickets higher than regulated ceiling prices, Ngoc said, adding that last year, the Government made adjustments to the prices in line with the fall of fuel costs.

As ceiling prices are built on fuel costs, the Ministry of Transport will work with the Ministry of Finance to calculate a suitable ceiling price to apply to each carrier.

Emirates Airlines to operate non-stop flight to Hanoi

Emirates Airlines, a leading carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will launch daily flights connecting Dubai-Hanoi and Dubai-Yangon (Myanmar) from August 3.

In its announcement on February 25, the airline said that expanding services to those cities will help the airline consolidate its network in the Southeast Asian region while bringing new options to passengers.

Hanoi is the carrier’s second destination in Vietnam. Emirates Airlines added Ho Chi Minh City to its global network in June, 2012.

Last year, the airline announced complimentary Dubai visas for Vietnamese passengers who booked tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Dubai between October 20 and

November 20. This provided Vietnamese customers a unique opportunity to discover the global city of Dubai.