Cial announces direct flights to Ho Chi Minh City

Kochi: Offering better connectivity to South East Asia, Cochin International Airport Ltd (Cial) will soon have direct flight service to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The new services, starting from August 12, will be operated by Viet Jet Air. The flights will be operated four days a week -- Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

This is the first direct air service from Kerala to Vietnam, making it a significant milestone for both the airport and the country’s tourism industry.The new service complements the existing flight services from Kochi to other Southeast Asian destinations such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
Cial currently operates two daily services between Kochi and Singapore; one service to Bangkok six days a week and three daily services to Kuala Lumpur.
The new flight service from Ho Chi Minh City will depart at 7.20pm and reach Cial at 10:50pm. The return flight will depart from Kochi at 11.50pm and will reach Ho Chi Minh City at 6.40am.
“We are confident that the launch of the new air route between Kerala and Vietnam will be a significant milestone in the tourism industry, providing travellers with a convenient and direct transportation option to meet their requirements. The new air route marks a pivotal moment in the history of airport operations, which will help our company in opening up new avenues for economic growth and cultural exchange,” said Cial managing director S Suhas.
In the previous financial year (2022-’23), Cial had handled 89.82 lakh passengers.
Looking ahead, the company anticipates surpassing the milestone of one crore passengers in the current financial year.
Notably, Cial holds the position of being ranked third in the country for the highest number of international passengers.