The inaugural direct flight from Macao to the Vietnamese city of Haiphong took place yesterday, according to local media reports.
A single flight between the two cities is scheduled each day, with the service being provided by the budget carrier VietJet Air. The journey takes just under 90 minutes and is part of an effort to expand the SAR’s aviation offerings to Southeast Asian countries.
Shi Lin, the director-general of Guangdong Huxiang Tourism, which lobbied for the service between the two cities, said during a ceremony to mark the inaugural flight that Haiphong was becoming a tourist hotspot.
[See more: New flight destinations are on the horizon for Macao]
Haiphong is Vietnam’s third largest city. Besides being a seaside holiday destination, it is a gateway to the popular Ha Long Bay and rugged Cát Bà Island.
While the new direct route will be good news to travellers, it will also benefit the Vietnamese community in Macao, which is the second largest group of foreigners in the city.
Other services that are expected to appear in the first quarter of this year include flights connecting Macao with Istanbul, Moscow and Phnom Penh.
