Vietnamese airlines struggle with slot retention challenges

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAA) has sent a report to the Transport Ministry, drawing attention to the challenges Vietnamese airlines are encountering in retaining their allocated slots at several international airports, specifically those in China, India and the United Kingdom. Before the pandemic, in 2019, travel between Vietnam and China was a thriving corridor, with 14 airlines operating flights across the two nations. However, the Covid-19 pandemic forced airlines to halt passenger transport operations, with only a small number of cargo flights persisting. In a new turn of events, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, in early March 2023, unveiled its slot policies. These dictate that to secure their slot allocation for the 2023 summer scheduling season, international airlines must adhere to the 80-20 slot rule. This stipulation demands airlines operate at least 80% of every planned slot sequence, rooted in the principle of reciprocity. According to the CAA, the aviation market’s resurgence with China is noticeably slow, causing distress for Vietnamese carriers.<br/>