10:28:57 AM | 23/4/2008
The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines said on its website that it obtained revenues of VND5.9 trillion (US$363.8 million) in the first quarter of this year, representing 25.8 per cent of the year target.
The airline served 2.3 million passengers in the period, an on-year rise of 14.7 per cent. Of those, 1.37 million were domestic passengers and 953,000 were foreigners.
It reported seat-occupancy of 78.89 per cent in the first three months, up 2 per cent over the same phase last year.
The state-run carrier transported 31,819 tons of cargo between January and March, a year-on-year increase of 19 per cent, with 20,418 being domestic cargo.
However, Vietnam Airlines is facing difficulties, especially high fuel prices. In the first quarter, it had to paid an additional VND491 billion for fuel price hikes.
Meanwhile, the January-March CPI index increased 16.3 per cent on-year and price hike of ground services at local airport have posed disadvantages for the airline.
Vietnam Airlines has set a goal to carry 8.95 million passengers this year, up 12 per cent on-year and aims for revenue growth of 14 per cent, the local Young People newspaper said April 21.
The firm is to sell up to 20 per cent of its shares to foreign strategic investors and hire an international consultancy to advice on its IPO, under a government directive issued earlier this year. (Vietnam Airlines’ Website, Thanh Nien Daily)
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