|
New 'straight line' air route proposed
The Vietnam Aviation Department is considering a proposal to establish a new air route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.
The “golden air route” initiative proposed by Mai Trong Tuan, a former military pilot, is expected to cut 25 minutes of travel time from Hanoi to HCMC and save fuel.
After the proposal was put forward in late June, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung asked the Transport Ministry and the Vietnam Aviation Department to meet with Tuan to discuss the proposal further.
According to Tuan, a direct air route along 106th meridian east will cut the flying distance between Hanoi and HCMC from 1,200 kilometers at present to 1,000 kilometers. The flying time will be reduced from 105 minutes to 80 minutes.
The proposed new air route will mean planes flying between the capital and HCMC will fly over Laos and Cambodia, rather than over the ocean and following Vietnam’s “S” shape.
A 200-passenger plane which uses 25,000 liters of fuel at present may save 5,000 liters of fuel per flight by flying in a straight line between the two cities, Tuan said.
Fares for Hanoi-HCMC flights could be cut by 16 percent cheaper with the new route, he said.
However, Flying Management Board Chief Bui Van Vo told Tuoi Tre newspaper the proposal was not feasible at the moment for technical and economic reasons.
Vo said the idea had previously been considered by aviation authorities in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 1980s but no agreement had been reached.
He said if Vietnam obtained the right to fly through Lao and Cambodian airspace, it would then be expected to give reciprocal rights for its neighbors.
Thuy Hang
vietnews
|
