The inaugural flight for a direct route linking Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta in Indonesia, carrying 143 passengers, landed at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on December 2.
Flights are scheduled for every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Airbus A321 aircrafts will depart from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City at 10am, arriving in Jakarta at 13pm, and leave Jakarta for the City at 13:45pm of the same day.
This is the first direct air link between Vietnam and Indonesia and the second new international route that the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has offered this year.
Addressing the opening flight’s landing ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Nguyen Xuan Thuy stressed the significance of opening this direct air route between Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta in particular, between Vietnam and Indonesia in general.
“The connection not only serves the growing demand for transport between both nations, but contributes to strengthening bilateral relations and boosting ASEAN connectivity and integration towards an ASEAN Community aviation market by 2015”, he said.
A representative from Vietnam Airlines acknowledged the occasion with a promotion offering return tickets for VND2,905 million, a 22 percent saving compared to standard prices of the route.
The carrier is also selling tickets on the Ho Chi Minh City – Jakarta - Bali route for VND7,085 million (taxes, fees and surcharges not included in the fare). Passengers need to purchase tickets from October 22 to December 31 for departures between December 2, 2012 and March 30, 2013./.
Source: cpv.org.vn
