Hanoi, Apr 6 (IANS): Vietnam's aviation authority has issued a directive mandating adherence to price regulations for local passenger transport services amid a hike in flight ticket prices, local media reported on Thursday.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) ordered local airlines to publish and publicise selling prices following regulations on distribution channels and penalize agents who fail to comply with local fare rules, reports Xinhua news agency citing the local media.

It also requested a strengthening of ticket sales control to ensure that sales are made at the declared price outlined in an official document.

Currently, the price range for economy-class passenger transportation services is calculated based on the route distance.

For routes under 500 km, the maximum one-way fare ranges from 1.6-1.7 million Vietnamese dong ($67.8-72) per ticket while it is 3.75 million Vietnamese dong ($158 for routes of 1,280 km or more.