Four domestic carriers, Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, Jetstar Pacific and the Viet Nam Air Services Company (VASCO), reported a total of 39,632 delayed flights in 2018, representing 13.4 per cent of their flights – a year-on-year increase of one percentage point.

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam (CAAV), the four airlines operated a total of 296,516 flights in the reviewed period, up 9 per cent compared to 2017.

Low-cost airline Vietjet had the highest number of delayed flights in 2018 with 18,746 out of 118,923 flights missing their schedule departure times, equivalent to 15.8 per cent. This was an increase of 1.3 per cent against the previous year.

The rate for national carrier Vietnam Airlines was 10.8 per cent with 13,790 delayed flights out of the total 128,236 flights it operated.

Jetstar Pacfic reported 6,636 delayed flights, accounting for 18.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, VASCO’s delay rate was only 3.4 per cent, or 460 out of its 13,524 flights in the period.

In 2018, there were 790 cancelled flights, accounting for 0.3 per cent of all flights.

According to CAAV, late return of planes was the main cause of delays and cancellations. Other reasons included airports’ limited infrastructure and services, flight management and operation and weather and technical issues, the agency said. — VNS