On the same trip, there were also hundreds of passengers. During the waiting time, they were not explained the reason, and did not even receive an apology.
Flight delays, even cancellations, were once a nightmare for many air passengers. In fact, airlines are also trying to limit this. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, in May 2026, airlines operated a total of 20,280 flights, with an average on-time (OTP) rate for the whole industry maintained at 87.1%. This is a fairly high level but still needs to be improved.
Flight delays are something no airline wants, because aviation operations are affected by many factors such as weather, technology, flight operations, security, airport operations. However, whatever the cause, when passengers have bought tickets, have gone to the airport, have boarded the plane or have to wait for many hours, the airline's responsibility is very large.
Decree No. 208/2026/ND-CP on air transport, effective from July 1, 2026, more clearly stipulates the obligations of airlines in case of flight delays. This is a necessary step to protect passenger rights, while forcing airlines to be more professional, transparent and responsible in the service process.
According to regulations, a flight is defined as a delay when the actual take-off time is 15 minutes later than the base flight schedule. When a flight is expected to be delayed, the airline must promptly notify, apologize to passengers, state the reason and update the new take-off time at the airport with a frequency of at least 30 minutes at a time.
This regulation is very important. Because in many cases, what makes passengers frustrated is not only the flight delay, but also the feeling of being abandoned in ambiguity. They do not know how long to wait, why it is delayed, whether to change flights or not, whether to eat, rest or refund tickets. The lack of information increases stress, affecting work plans, study, medical examination and treatment, travel and many other personal commitments.
Notably, Decree 208 also stipulates cases where passengers have boarded but have not yet taken off. If the aircraft has closed, passengers have boarded and the waiting time from closing to takeoff lasts from 30 minutes or more, the airline must serve drinking water, ensure ventilation system, temperature in the cabin and meet passenger hygiene needs.
In particular, if the flight is delayed by more than 3 hours and the take-off time has not been determined, the airline must take passengers off the plane, unless this affects aviation safety or security.
The new Decree has set a clearer framework of responsibility. The remaining issue is implementation. Management agencies need to strictly supervise and promptly handle cases where airlines do not properly fulfill their obligations. Airlines need to consider passenger care when flights are delayed as part of service quality, not reluctantly incurred costs.
