Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The Ministry of Transport has issued a document onreviewing and amending circulars related to air transport, specifying theobligations of air carriers towards passengers in cases of cancellations anddelays.

A delayed flight is defined as a flight with an actual departure time delayedby more than 15 minutes from the scheduled time in the flight schedule.

For flights delayed for two hours or more, within the scope of serviceprovision, the carrier shall offer suitable itinerary changes for passengers orswitch them to another flight to reach their final destination, exempting anyconditions on itinerary changes or flight switches and related surcharges (ifany) for passengers.

For flights delayed for five hours or more, if passengers do not request thecarrier to fulfil the obligations as prescribed, but instead request a ticketrefund, the carrier shall refund the entire ticket fare or refund the unusedportion of the fare according to the passenger's choice at the airport or atthe designated offices, branches, or ticketing agents of the airline.

For extended flight delays, the carrier must provide non-refundablecompensation in advance to confirmed and ticketed passengers, should passengersrequest, on the flight in accordance with the regulations on non-refundableadvance compensation in air passenger transportation.

Flight cancellation is defined as the non-performance of a flight for which theflight's reservation and ticket sales have been announced on the carrier'sreservation and ticketing system within 24 hours before the scheduled departuretime.

In cases where passengers are not transported due to the carrier's fault, theairline must provide non-refundable advance compensation to confirmed andticketed passengers on the flight, or offer suitable itinerary changes orswitch them to another flight to reach their final destination (exempting taxesand fees in the ticket).

If passengers refuse to apply the above provisions, the carrier shall refundthe entire ticket fare or refund the unused portion of the fare according tothe passenger's choice at the airport or at the designated offices, branches,or ticketing agents of the airline.

For completely unused tickets, the Ministry of Transport stipulates that therefund amount will be equal to the ticket fare paid by the passenger. Theticket fare includes charges for transportation services, taxes and feesregulated by the government, passenger and baggage security service fees,passenger service fees at airports, which are collected by the airline, andother related surcharges as per the lawful invoices provided by the passenger.

The document, Circular 19/2023, will take effect on September 1, 2023./.