According to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, on February 3 alone, there were 901 flights, including 456 departing flights and 445 arriving flights. Majority of these flights were domestic flights with 616 flights. In just the first three days of February, there were 1,100 flights, but nearly 60% of the flights were delayed and 40 flights were cancelled at this airport.
While Tan Son Nhat was “packed like a can of sardines,” the weather in Hanoi did not cooperate with the foggy weather. Therefore, many flights could not take off or land at Noi Bai airport due to fog. This also meant that the operation was affected due to the change in flight schedules. Airplanes that avoid the foggy weather naturally cannot turn around on time. Passengers were frustrated with the wait, but this is an objective factor that no one wants, but it still happens.
The phenomenon of dense fog and low cloud ceilings is expected to last until February 29th, especially during the nighttime to early morning period, according to the forecast from the National Meteorological and Hydrological Forecasting Center.
This can lead to limited visibility and a direct impact on air transport, causing a series of flights to be diverted to alternate airports or cancelled, delayed, or delayed.
Decision No. 14/2015/TT-BGTVT has been amended and supplemented by Decision No. 27/2017/TT-BGTVT dated August 25, 2017 of the Ministry of Transport stipulating the non-refundable advance compensation for passenger transport by air.
Accordingly, airlines will be exempted from the obligation to compensate in advance in the non-refundable cases where the flight is cancelled or delayed for any of the following reasons:
a. Weather conditions affecting flight operation safety.
b. Security risks affecting flight operation safety.
c. The flight cannot be carried out or is delayed according to the decision of the competent state agency.
d. Due to passengers’ medical issues (severe illness or death after boarding the aircraft).
e. The scheduled aircraft for flight operation or the aircraft fleet for flight operation are destroyed.
f. Due to armed conflict, political instability, strikes affecting flights.
g. In case the aviation infrastructure, flight operation security services cannot ensure flight operation.
h. Technical incident occurring during the operation of the aircraft, from the time the aircraft commander subsequently signs for the ready-to-operate aircraft to the end of the flight.
i. Passengers are arranged to travel to the destination according to the itinerary by another flight with an arrival time no more than 04 hours later than the scheduled arrival time of the confirmed flight.
j. Passengers are arranged to the destination of the journey with an arrival time no more than 06 hours later than the scheduled arrival time of the connecting flight in case the planned destination of the flight is a connecting point in the passenger’s journey.
k. Passengers are not present for air check-in at the airport or other agreed location with the airline.
l. Passengers voluntarily give up seat confirmation.
m. The airline proves one of the following cases:
– Announced in verbal, message, email to passengers about flight cancellation, flight delay at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time to the customer’s address provided to the airline; in case of making a phone call, phone calls should be made from 07:00 to 22:00 with a frequency of 02 calls, 20 minutes apart if the first call cannot be contacted;
– Passengers do not register for contact information as required;
– Unable to contact passengers according to the registered contact information.
n. Passengers are transported free of charge; passengers are transported at reduced fares applicable to airline staff, staff of airline agents, partners, companion using free tickets.
o. Other cases of force majeure.
Passengers may receive compensation for cancelled or delayed flights. Illustrated photo.
HCMC – Hanoi route pays maximum compensation 400,000 VND
Except for the above cases, passengers may receive compensation in cash, bank transfer, or through other appropriate payment intermediary services upon request. In addition, the airline may compensate with free tickets, refund documents for using the services of the carrier or other free services if the passenger agrees.
Compensation receiving location: At the airport where the flight is cancelled or took off or landed; at the branch or representative office designated or in the account provided by the passenger.
The compensation period will not exceed 14 working days from the date the flight was cancelled or delayed.
Specific compensation rates are based on domestic or international flights from Vietnam and the length of the flight. Accordingly, the domestic group with a flight length of less than 500km will receive compensation of 200,000 VND, from 500km to less than 1,000km is 300,000 VND, and above 1,000km is 400,000 VND.
Therefore, passengers on the HCMC – Hanoi route who meet the compensation payment conditions will receive a maximum of 400,000 VND.
For international flights originating from Vietnam, as follows: below 1,000km will receive $25, from 1,000km to less than 2,500km is $50, from 2,500km to less than 5,000km will receive $80. And for flights over 5,000 km, passengers will receive compensation of $150.
Dy Khoa
