Flight delay and cancellation compensation up to 400,000 VND

From November 1, the aviation industry will implement new regulations in compensation policies for passengers when flights are canceled or delayed for a long time.

Specifically, according to Circular 27/2017 of the Ministry of Transport on amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular 36/2014 (regulating the quality of passenger services at airports) and Circular 14/2015 (regulating non-refundable advance compensation in air passenger transport), airlines must notify passengers when flights are delayed by 15 minutes or more.

The notice includes the reason for the delay; the expected departure time or alternative flight plan; the passenger service plan; and the passenger assistance department. At the same time, the carrier must apologize to the passenger for the delay or cancellation.

Passengers wait in quarantine to prepare to board the plane.

During the waiting time, the airline must serve food and drinks to passengers depending on the delay or cancellation time. Specifically, for a delay of 2 hours, drinking water must be served; for a delay of 3 hours or more, meals must be served; for a delay of 6 hours or more (for flights from 7am to before 10pm), accommodation must be arranged in accordance with the actual conditions of the airport. In case of a delay of more than 6 hours at night (from 10pm the previous day to before 7am the following day), the airline must arrange sleeping and resting places in accordance with the actual conditions of the locality or alternative solutions if agreed by the passenger.

At the same time, the airline is responsible for changing the passenger's itinerary within the scope of its service provision so that the passenger reaches the final destination of the journey in the fastest and most convenient way...

Compensation for cancellation and long flight delays for domestic flights ranges from VND 200,000/person/flight under 1,000 km to VND 400,000/person/flight over 1,000 km.

In addition, the Ministry of Transport also stipulates 4 levels of compensation for domestic flights and 4 levels for international flights, based on the flight length. Accordingly, the compensation level for cancellation and long-term flight delay for domestic flights is from 200,000 VND/person/flight under 1,000 km to 400,000 VND/person/flight over 1,000 km. For international flights, the compensation level is from 25 USD/person/flight under 1,000 km to 150 USD/person/flight over 5,000 km.

Compensation is made in cash, free tickets or by bank transfer to the passenger. The airport authority is responsible for supervising the compensation to the passenger.

However, the airline is exempted from the obligation to pay non-refundable advance compensation in the case of passengers being transported free of charge; passengers being transported at reduced fares applicable to airline employees, airline agents, partners, and customers using free fare tickets. In the case of a flight being delayed for a long time and then canceled, the non-refundable advance compensation is only applied once.

According to VNN