In January 2024, it was revealed that Vietravel Airlines would operate charter flights from Vietnam to Takamatsu in March 2024. The first of those charter flights flew in from Ho Chi Minh on March 17, 2024.
At the time the initial announcement was made, a total of seven flights including four from Ho Chi Minh and three from Hanoi was planned between March 17 and 31, 2024. However, the plan to operate flights from Hanoi was canceled.
The four flights from Ho Chi Minh will operate as planned. In addition to the one on March 17, 2024, the flights will also operate on March 21, 25, and 29, 2024. The last charter flight will take passengers back to Vietnam from Fukushima rather than from Takamatsu. The flights are a part of tour packages sold by a Vietnamese tour operator.
Vietravel Airlines, a relatively new airline that commenced operations in January 2021, uses its sole aircraft type, the 190-seater Airbus A321, on the flights to Takamatsu.
Currently, there are no scheduled flights between Takamatsu and Vietnam. That said, this is the fourth time for Vietnam – Takamatsu charter flights to operate. Two charters with a total of 322 passengers operated in 2011, another two with a total of 314 passengers in 2012, and four with a total of 599 passengers in 2019.
At the time this year’s charters were announced, Kagawa Prefecture’s governor said he would like to see the charters turn into scheduled flights as soon as possible.
