Vietnam Airlines adds nearly 1,000 seats on Europe routes amid rising demand

The airline is mobilizing maximum resources to serve the routes between Vietnam and Europe while deploying larger wide-body aircraft.

In March, Vietnam Airlines is set to start using the larger Airbus A350 for 11 round-trip flights linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Munich.

The aircraft change will significantly increase seating capacity on these long-haul services to better accommodate travelers amid growing demand.

Vietnam Airlines said its flights to Europe continue to operate safely along designated air corridors that avoid areas affected by the ongoing conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, which escalated in late February.

It is closely monitoring developments in order to make timely operational adjustments while ensuring safety and stability across its network, according to the airline.

Data from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam showed that on Thursday and Friday, Qatar Airways was set to cancel 13 flights, including nine passenger services and four cargo flights, impacting nearly 2,000 travelers.

Similarly, Emirates canceled flight pair EK364/EK365 on the Dubai-Ho Chi Minh City route and its return legs, affecting nearly 1,300 passengers.

However, the airline continues to operate other routes connecting Dubai with Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and linking Dubai, Bangkok, and Da Nang City.

Meanwhile, Etihad Airways resumed passenger flights between Abu Dhabi and Hanoi, carrying nearly 1,000 passengers from Wednesday to Friday.

The airline’s cargo operations are continuing as scheduled.

The evolving situation has also tightened ticket availability for flights to Europe set in March and April, with fares rising sharply on some routes.

On the Hanoi-Frankfurt route operated by Vietnam Airlines, economy-class tickets for March 31 are nearly sold out despite the airline’s capacity increase.

For flights between Hanoi and Paris in March, many departures are already fully booked.

A Vietnam Airlines representative said that expanding capacity amid volatility in the global aviation market is part of the airline’s effort to maintain stable connectivity between Vietnam and Europe while supporting travel, trade, and tourism flows between the regions.

The ongoing conflict has led to airspace closures or restrictions across many countries, forcing airlines to reroute, cancel, or suspend flights, and disrupting routes between Asia and Europe.