The proposal is included in a draft decree on air transport now being circulated for public consultation. It aims to strengthen airlines’ obligations when flights are delayed or cancelled, and to better protect passengers’ rights.
Passengers waiting to board at Terminal 3 (Photo: Tan Son Nhat International Airport).
Under the draft, a flight is considered delayed if its actual departure time is at least 15 minutes later than the scheduled time. Airlines would be required to promptly inform passengers, issue an apology, explain the reason for the delay, and update the revised departure time on airport information screens at least every 30 minutes.
For delays of two hours or more, airlines would have to provide food and drinks or vouchers of equivalent value. They would also be required to consider rescheduling flights at the passenger’s request, waiving any change conditions and related fees.
For delays of three hours or more, airlines would have to offer a full refund or refund the unused portion of the ticket if passengers do not agree to change their itinerary, departure time or switch to another flight.
If a delay reaches four hours, airlines would be required to compensate passengers in addition to providing refunds when requested.
For delays of six hours or more, between 7 am and 10 pm, airlines would have to provide suitable accommodation or an alternative arrangement, subject to passenger agreement, alongside refunds and compensation.
The draft would shorten the delay thresholds that trigger refund and compensation obligations. Under current rules, airlines must provide drinks for delays of two hours, meals for delays of three hours, and refunds only when delays reach five hours or more.
The draft also introduces new requirements for schedule changes, covering cases where an airline brings a flight forward or pushes it back by four hours or more compared with the departure time printed on the ticket. In such cases, airlines would be required to refund, reroute or rebook passengers within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time. The measure is intended to prevent prolonged refund or rebooking processes that have caused passenger complaints in recent years.
The draft maintains exemptions from compensation in cases where delays or cancellations are caused by bad weather, security risks, or other force majeure events.
Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Authority said the revision is intended to increase airlines’ responsibility and protect passengers when schedules are repeatedly changed, disrupting personal plans and work commitments. It would also require airlines to improve flight planning and aircraft allocation in order to reduce delays.
Flight delays and cancellations remain common, while enforcement of current regulations has been uneven, leaving passengers at a disadvantage when seeking compensation. Some airline representatives, however, have warned that the proposed changes could increase costs at a time when commercial aviation is still facing significant challenges.