Flight delays and cancellations: Airlines tighten carry-on baggage

To reduce flight delays and cancellations, airlines are adjusting all stages of flight operations, including tightening restrictions on passengers bringing "oversized, overloaded" luggage onto planes.

It is recommended to stop check-in 40 minutes in advance.

Mr. Duong Tri Thanh, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Airlines (VNA), proposed changing the minimum closing time for check-in counters for domestic flights from 30 minutes before scheduled departure time as currently to 40 minutes so that service units have enough time to prepare.

Proposal to stop check-in 40 minutes before departure, instead of 30 minutes as before.

Mr. Thanh's suggestion comes from the fact that passengers at airports near the city such as Tan Son Nhat and Da Nang often have the habit of arriving late. When checking in, passengers subjectively think that there are still 30 minutes until the counter closes, so they are very "slow".

A representative of the Danang Airport Authority said that it was the fact that passengers subjectively thought the airport was nearby and rushed to check in late, causing congestion in the check-in area, even causing difficulties for the passengers themselves.

Mr. Vo Huy Cuong, Deputy Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said that if the time is extended like this, it can help improve the situation of flight delays and cancellations, but some passengers may complain because they have to go to the airport earlier.

The Civil Aviation Authority will add this point to the draft amendment on aviation service quality standards submitted to the Ministry of Transport.

Tighten carry-on luggage

A representative of VNA also said that starting from August, the airline will strictly control the regulations on passengers bringing “overloaded, oversized” luggage onto the plane. Accordingly, each passenger is only allowed to bring one piece of luggage weighing less than 7 kg.

Airlines will tighten restrictions on passengers bringing oversized and overweight luggage onto planes.

Mr. Thanh said the airline had anticipated the reactions of some passengers, but for the benefit of the majority, it hoped that passengers would agree to implement it.

“This is a regulation of the world civil aviation, up to now VNA has not fully implemented it, making concessions to passengers. If passengers bring lighter luggage, it will help passengers move to the plane more easily, especially to go through security check procedures during peak hours,” Mr. Thanh said.

Representatives of two airlines, VietJet Air and Jetstar Pacific, proposed two solutions: allowing passengers to board the plane at the same time as refueling to save 12 minutes and extending the waiting area in the air so that the plane does not get stuck before landing.

Mr. Vo Huy Cuong said that the first petition has been resolved in Noi Bai and Da Nang, but the matter related to air traffic must wait to be handled later.

According to the assessment of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam's monitoring team, the situation of flight delays and cancellations has decreased significantly in the past 2 weeks. From July 22 to 30, the rate of flight delays and cancellations of domestic airlines decreased by an average of 10%. Specifically, VNA decreased from 28.3% to 18.06%; (JPA) decreased from 30% to 22.47%, VJA decreased from 47% to 38%.

According to vietnam.net