According to Lai Xuan Thanh, Head of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV), the distance of the route is 309km, equal to that of the HCM City-Phu Quoc route, not 253km, as mentioned by Dr. Tran Dinh Ba.

In a recent report sent to management agencies, Dr. Tran Dinh Ba said tickets for the HCM City-Con Dao Island route were too high, and he even insinuated price gouging. Mr. Ba added that it takes passengers only one night to go from HCM City to Con Dao Island by boat for VND150,000-200,000. However, passengers will have to spend up to VND1.7 million to go by air for a trip 50 kilometres shorter than route from HCM City to Phu Quoc Island, which costs only VND 1.2 million.

Thanh disagreed with Dr. Ba, saying that the most expensive ticket on the HCM City-Con Dao Island route is only VND1.45 million (USD69).

Con Dao has a special location and great historical meaning for Vietnamese people.

Currently, Vietnam Airlines has four ticket levels: VND1.45 million, VND1.2 million, VND1 million and VND750.000 for the route. From January 21, the carrier will cut the first three by 25% for residents of Con Dao following a request by Transport Minister Dinh La Thang.

Previously, Nguyen Van Hien, Deputy Head of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province’s National Assembly Deputies Delegation, asked Transport Minister Dinh La Thang to cut airfares on the HCM City-Con Dao route for residents of Con Dao District. The proposal was based on the opinion of voters in Con Dao District.

Voters said that the current airfare restricted tourism to the island and affected the investment and development.