Vietnam slashes flights as Middle East tensions fuel aviation crisis

Vietnam’s airlines reduced their flight schedules by nearly 5,000 services in April compared with the previous month, as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East drove up aviation fuel prices, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Citing the head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, Uong Viet Dung, the agency reported that Vietnamese carriers operated more than 20,700 flights in April despite the cutbacks.

Dung said airlines are facing significant cost pressure due to higher fuel prices, currency fluctuations, aircraft and parts shortages, and broader geopolitical instability.

He added that these factors are directly affecting ticket pricing, efforts to stimulate demand, and the overall competitiveness of Vietnamese carriers.

By Aghakazim Guliyev