HCMC – Some airports in central Vietnam, including Danang, Phu Bai and Chu Lai, will be shut from 4.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. today, September 18, to ensure the safety of passengers due to Noul, the fifth tropical storm to hit Vietnam in 2020.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) on September 17 sent an urgent dispatch to the relevant agencies of the aviation sector asking them to suspend operations at the three airports.
Chu Lai Airport in Quang Nam Province is being shut from 4.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m., Danang International Airport is being closed from 5.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. and Phu Bai Airport in Thua Thien-Hue Province will suspend operations from 6.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.
Following the CAAV’s order, local airlines immediately announced the cancellation of tens of flights to the three airports in central Vietnam.
Vietnam Airlines cancelled 10 flights from Hanoi and HCMC to Danang City, which were scheduled to depart on September 18, while rearranging some Hanoi/HCMC-Danang flights after 8.00 p.m. on the same day.
The carrier also cancelled 14 flights from Hanoi and HCMC to Hue and eight others from Hanoi and HCMC to Chu Lai. Aside from this, Vietnam Airlines’ flights from Hanoi and HCMC to Dong Hoi Airport in Quang Binh Province have been rescheduled to land after 7.00 p.m. today.
The carrier will operate 22 flights from or to Danang, Hue and Chu Lai a day later instead.
Besides, flights BL6054 and BL6055 between HCMC and Danang City operated by Pacific Airlines will take off after 8.00 p.m. on the same day to ensure the safety of passengers.
Another carrier, Bamboo Airways, also aborted a total of eight flights from Hanoi and HCMC to Danang and from Hanoi to Dalat and Buon Ma Thuot due to the impact of the storm, which weakened into a tropical depression at 11.00 a.m.
Apart from the three airlines, Vietjet decided to cancel six flights between Chu Lai and HCMC, eight flights from Hanoi and HCMC to Danang City and eight others from Hanoi and HCMC to Hue.
By Le Anh
