Vietnam reducing internal air travel due to scarcity of aviation fuel

Vietnam's national carrier is poised to halt nearly two dozen weekly domestic flights from next month, as the country's aviation authority attributes the move to constrained fuel supplies stemming from the Middle East conflict.

n

The price of jet fuel has skyrocketed since the conflict began over three weeks ago, leading to a surge in oil prices and fuelling concerns over potential fuel shortages.

n

A statement issued late Monday by the civil aviation authority revealed that Vietnam Airlines intends to temporarily suspend services on several routes from April 1, affecting a total of 23 flights per week.

n

The authority cited the limited availability of aviation fuel, known as Jet A-1, as the primary reason for the flight suspensions, which are necessary to mitigate the risk of fuel shortages faced by domestic airlines.

n

Despite the cuts, major domestic routes and international flights will continue to operate, according to the authority, which also noted that Vietnamese airlines are exploring the possibility of introducing fuel surcharges on international routes starting in April.

n

Vietnam has recently sought fuel assistance from several countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, Algeria, and Japan, and on Monday signed an agreement with Russia to cooperate on oil and gas production in both nations.

n

In a related development, Myanmar's national carrier announced on Sunday that it would be cancelling certain domestic flights due to "unavoidable circumstances", although no further details were provided.

n

Meanwhile, United Airlines announced last week that it would be reducing its flight capacities in response to the rising cost of jet fuel, which the US airline expects to continue increasing as the Gulf conflict persists.