The Vietnamese government on June 15 issued Decree 208/2026 on air transport, introducing new passenger rights and airline obligations in cases of flight delays.
Under the decree, a flight is considered delayed if its actual departure time is more than 15 minutes later than scheduled. A prolonged delay is defined as a delay of four hours or more.
Airlines must notify passengers of delays, issue an apology, explain the reason and update revised departure times on airport display systems at least every 30 minutes.
For delays of two hours or more, carriers must provide drinking water or vouchers of equivalent value. Passengers may also request rebooking or rerouting to reach their final destination.
For delays exceeding three hours, airlines must provide meals or equivalent vouchers.
If a flight is delayed by four hours or more due to the airline's fault, passengers who decline alternative travel arrangements will be entitled to a full refund or reimbursement for the unused portion of their ticket.
In addition, airlines must make a one time non refundable advance compensation payment to passengers holding confirmed reservations and valid tickets on the affected flight. The compensation requirement also applies to delays experienced after passengers have boarded the aircraft.
For delays of six hours or more occurring between 7 am and 10 pm, airlines must provide suitable waiting facilities for passengers at the airport.
If delays extend between 10 pm and 7 am the following day, carriers must arrange accommodation locally or provide alternative solutions accepted by passengers. These provisions do not apply to passengers who have already accepted ticket refunds.
The requirements regarding food, drinks and accommodation apply only to passengers holding valid tickets, confirmed bookings and who are present at the airport.
The government has tasked the Minister of Construction with issuing detailed regulations on compensation levels, payment methods and implementation procedures.
The decree also requires airlines to notify passengers if flight schedules are changed by more than five hours between ticket purchase and the publication of the final flight schedule.
In such cases, passengers must be offered either a refund or an alternative flight within 72 hours to reach their destination.
When passengers are already on board and aircraft doors have been closed, airlines must provide drinking water and ensure adequate ventilation, temperature control and access to lavatories if departure is delayed by more than 30 minutes. Emergency medical assistance must also be available when necessary.
If a delay exceeds three hours after boarding and no revised departure time has been determined, passengers must be allowed to disembark.
The new regulations will take effect on July 1.
