Vietnam Airlines launches new flights to Shanghai

The national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines, on Sunday launched the first direct flight routes linking Shanghai with both HCM City and Ha Noi.
The carrier operates four flights per week on the HCM City-Shanghai route and three flights per week on the Ha Noi-Shanghai route with Airbus A321 planes.
The direct flight would make great contribution to promotion on trading, investment and tourism between Viet Nam and Shanghai, the airline said.
With the services, the carrier hoped that it could lure passengers from areas near Shanghai to Viet Nam and then to the Indochina region, vice versa it also would transport passengers from the EU, Australia, Southeast Asia to Viet Nam and then to Shanghai.
It is the fourth Chinese city that Vietnam Airlines offers flight to after Beijing, Kunming and Guangzhou.
On the same day, Vietnam Airlines also opened the first flight on the HCM City-Can Tho City-Phu Quoc Island route with five flights per week on the ATR72 planes.
"Travelling demand on this route has increased sharply over the past years. The services on this route will help ignite the development of the tourism market in Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta," it reported.
Can Tho City attracts foreign visitors with eco-tourism features of a floating market on the river, fruit gardens and bird gardens as well as historical places. Whereas, Phu Quoc Island is well-known with a beautiful beach, Phu Quoc National Park among others.
Earlier this quarter, the carrier opened two international routes; including Ha Noi-Osaka (Japan) and Ha Noi-Yangon (Myanmar).
Vietnam Airlines has actively prepared for its plan to officially join the global airline alliance Skyteam in June this year, marking a significant milestone for its development to the world-class standard.
On the occasion, the carrier offers a discount airfare with departure times from April 1 to June 10, with return ticket from HCM City/Ha Noi - to Shanghai priced at VND5.72 million (US$299) (exclusive taxes and airport fees). It also discounts the airfare with return ticket at VND304.000 ($16) on the HCM City-Can Tho-Phu Quoc route with departure times from April 28 to May 30.