The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on June 15 officially opened an air connection between Vietnam and India.
The airline’s first flight departed from Hanoi and landed at the Indira Gandhi international airport in New Delhi at 2:45pm (local time).
The return flight left New Delhi to Hanoi in the afternoon of the same day.
“The new route of Vietnam Airlines will make an important contribution to strengthening trade, cultural and social connections between the two countries,” Vietnam’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said at the opening ceremony of this air route.
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son cuts a symbolic ribbon to inaugurate a direct route between Hanoi and New Delhi. Photo: Vietnam Airlines |
The flights between Hanoi and New Delhi are scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday weekly, while those between Ho Chi Minh City and the Indian capital take place every Thursday and Saturday.
Vietnam Airlines has offered big incentives on this occasion. Accordingly, passengers can purchase tickets at extremely attractive prices starting at just US$300 per round trip (taxes and fees included).
In particular, the super preferential price is from $169 including taxes and fees, exclusively for the first passengers to experience the new Hanoi - New Delhi route from now until June 20 and the Ho Chi Minh City - New Delhi route till June 18.
The program applies to tickets purchased on Vietnam Airlines' website, mobile app, ticket office, and official agents.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972 which were upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2007 and a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016, Vietnam and India have seen growing two-way trade, by an annual average of 20%.
The total number of visitors between India and Vietnam before the Covid-19 pandemic reached 319,000, an increase of 35% year-on-year. Most Vietnamese tourists to India visited New Delhi.
Earlier on April 19, Vietnam and India open six new air routes just after the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, which would facilitate Vietnamese passengers' travel to places of pilgrimage in India and the visits of Indian citizens to Vietnam.
Flights to India, which take five hours, would open up opportunities for tourism and trade, contributing to strengthening the two countries’ economic ties.
Direct flights would also be significant for traveling between the two countries as both Vietnam and India have reached mutual recognition of vaccine passports.
