An additional five airlines have registered to launch or resume flights to Vietnam between now and the end of this year.
They include Air Hong Kong, Jeju Air (the Republic of Korea), Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudi Arabia), United Airlines (the US), and Air China Cargo (China).
Silk Airlines of Singapore, which is currently conducting flights to Danang, is also keen on opening an air route to Hanoi.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), as many as 48 foreign airlines are operating in Vietnam. In 2011, about five million visitors travelled to Vietnam by air, up 35 percent over the previous year.
Vietnam is upgrading infrastructure at Noi Bai, Cam Ranh and Danang Airports, and implementing a project to build Long Thanh Airport to meet the increasing demand for passenger and cargo transport.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecast that by 2014, Vietnam will be the world’s third fastest growing market for international passengers and freight. The country’s aviation growth will likely reach 10 percent in the next three years, doubling the 2011 global average of 5 percent.