The international airport, which is currently operating below 30% capacity, will hopefully see a boost in passengers thanks to six new routes being added to service the city.
Can Tho International Aiport has suffered from underuse because of a lack of interest from foreign carriers, but last week Le Tien Dung, director of the Can Tho Department of Transport announced six additional routes from the aerodrome by the end of the year.
Malaysian budget line AirAsia will operate four weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur and three to Bangkok. VietJet will add domestic routes to Hai Phong, Vinh, Da Lat and Thanh Hoa by the end of the spring while newcomer Bamboo Airways will offer daily trips to Hanoi. Earlier this month, Vietnam Airlines joined VietJet with the launch of a direct route from Can Tho to Da Nang.
Can Tho International Airport was built with a budget of VND3 trillion (US$129.32 million) and opened in 2011. Over the last year, the airport saw a 20% increase in passengers up to 815,000 in 2018. Its runway can service wide-body aircraft like the B777-300ER and B747-400.
The arrival of more international visitors coincides with plans to make the Mekong Delta's largest city a major tourist destination. Officials hope the region can become one of seven major tourists areas by 2030.
[Photo/WikiCommons]
