New flight path for HCM City-Hanoi route A new air route between Hanoi and HCM City passing through Laotian and Cambodian airspace will start operating in June, 2015, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.   Lai Xuan Thanh, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), said, "Vietnamese aviation authorities have reached an agreement with Laos and Cambodia over the Hanoi-HCM City direct route." During the testing phase, Laos only allowed planes to fly at heights of 24,000 to 28,000 feet because they were worried that the route would create difficulties for air traffic control. Vietnamese authorities negotiated an increase in the permitted altitude of flights, which will greatly affect travel time of the Boeing 777. Thanh went on to say, though, that Laos and Cambodia have only given permission for one direction of the route, from HCM City to Hanoi. "It is still advantageous, and will help to reduce the overload on current routes," he said. Fees are still being negotiated, as Vietnam requested a 50% discount. Aviation authorities in Laos and Cambodia said they were waiting for their governments' final decisions. After all technical details are completed, Vietnam will turn its attention to other procedures such as working with the International Civil Aviation Organization and releasing aeronautical information to the public. In August, Vietnamese airliners used a flight plan simulator to test the new route. The results were encouraging, saving 85km and 190kg of fuel on each trip. By Chau Nhu Quynh, dtinews.vn