The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CCAV) said on March 21 it is monitoring the impact of Middle East tensions on Vietnam’s aviation sector, as geopolitical instability drives aviation fuel prices higher.
A CCAV's survey on March 20 covering nearly 40 international and regional airlines operating routes to Vietnam found that over 60 per cent have introduced or are planning fuel surcharges or fare increases.
The trend spans key markets across Asia, Europe and North America, highlighting mounting financial strain on airlines.
In north-east Asia, including Taiwan, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, ticket prices have risen by between VND 300,000 (about USD 11.5) and nearly VND 3 million per ticket.
In south-east and south Asia, increases have been more moderate, ranging from about VND 130,000 to around VND 1.6 million.
For long-haul flights to Europe and North America, fuel surcharges are significantly higher, typically ranging from VND 1 million to more than VND 5 million per ticket, with steeper rises for business-class passengers.
Air cargo has also been affected, with some airlines introducing fuel surcharges calculated per kilogramme.
While these measures are seen as a short-term response to volatile fuel prices, they are expected to push both passenger fares and cargo costs higher in the coming months.
