Budget domestic carrier Jetstar Pacific is offering promotion airfares from VND250,000 (US$13.53) for domestic flights scheduled for next year, provided bookings are made between December 15 to 17.

The discounts will be available for six air routes connecting Vietnam’s major cities, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, northern Hai Phong City and the central cities of Danang, Hue and Vinh.

 One way tickets for the HCMC-Danang, HCMC-Hue and Hanoi-Danang routes are set from VND250,000 (.53), and VND500,000 () for HCMC-Hanoi route, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Tickets from HCMC to Hai Phong and Vinh City are sold from VND600,000 (.48) each.

The promotions will be for two periods, from April 1 to 21 and from May 6 to 25, 2010. Bookings are available on the airline’s website and Jetstar Pacific’s ticket offices across the country until 11:59p.m. on December 17.

The discount tickets can be purchased with a MasterCard, Visa, JCB or AMEX card or ATMConnect 24 debit cards issued by the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank). The country’s first low-cost airline was transformed from Pacific Airlines to Jetstar Pacific in May last year when Australia’s Qantas Airways Ltd. bought an 18 percent stake in the airline. Early last month, Jetstar Pacific was told to scrap the logo it shares with Australia’s Jetstar Airways or face the prospect of not being awarded a new license.

 Jetstar Pacific has adopted the logo of the Jet and the orange star of Australia’s Jetstar Airways, although the Australian carrier is a minority owner in the airline. Foreign airlines aren’t permitted to run flights on Vietnam’s domestic routes.

 The airline also faced safety accusations by its former employee, saying the carrier did not strictly follow maintenance and flying safety regulations. Jetstar Pacific currently operates some 40 flights a day to domestic destinations, including HCMC, Hanoi, Danang, Nha Trang City and Hai Phong.

(Source: Vietnam Business News)