Vietnamese shun China tours

HANOI, 19 May 2014: The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam claims China’s illegal deployment of oil rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 (HD 981) to Vietnamese waters,in the East Vietnam Sea, will seriously cut airline traffic between the two countries.
Sentiments are running high and there is plenty of evidence to show Vietnamese tourists are cancelling airline bookings to China.
CAAV head, Lai Xuan Thanh, said he feared the incident would cause the “market to face a slow-down.”
Vietnam Airlines offers 80 flights a week to China and it can ill afford to lose business on such important routes.
Vietnam Airlines spokesman, Le Truong Giang, was quoted as saying that the situation will cut the number of passengers flying between HO Chi Minh City and Hanoi and cities in China.
The airline offers flights to Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Kaohsiung, and Shanghai.
CAAV has directed Air Traffic Management Corporation to pay close attention to air traffic control near the disputed area to ensure aircraft safety.
The Chinese rig is located at 15°29’58’’ North latitude and 111°12’06’’ East longitude in the East Vietnam Sea, about 119 nautical miles (221 km) from Ly Son Island off the central Vietnamese province of Quang Ngai and 18 nautical miles south of Tri Ton Island off Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.
Many Vietnamese tourists have instructed their tour organisers to cancel upcoming trips to China because they do not wish to travel while there is tension between the two countries.
Some of them switched their bookings to Japan or Hong Kong instead.

Sourced: ttrweekly