Circular No. 27/2017/TT-BGTVT amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 36/2014/TT-BGTVT dated August 29, 2014, issued by the Minister of Transport on the quality of passenger services at airports and Circular No. 14/2015/TT-BGTVT dated April 27, 2015, issued by the Minister of Transport on compensation for non-refundable advance payments in air passenger transport.

CIRCULAR

Amending and supplementing certain Articles of Circular No. 36/2014/TT-BGTVT dated August 29, 2014 of the Minister of Transport stipulating quality of passenger services at airports and Circular No. 14/2015/TT-BGTVT dated April 27, 2015 of the Minister of Transport stipulating compensation for non-refundable advance payments in air passenger transport

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Pursuant to the Civil Aviation Law of Vietnam 2006 and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Civil Aviation Law 2014;

On the basis of Decree No. 12/2017/NĐ-CP dated February 10, 2017 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Transport;

 On the basis of Circular No. 36/2014/TT-BGTVT dated August 29, 2014 of the Minister of Transport stipulating the quality of passenger services at airports;

Pursuant toCircular No. 14/2015/TT-BGTVT dated April 27, 2015 of the Minister of Transport stipulating compensation for non-refundable advance payments in air passenger transport;

PURSUANT TO THE PROPOSAL OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE VIETNAM CIVIL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION;

The Minister of Transport issues this Circular amending and supplementing certain provisions ofCircular No. 36/2014/TT-BGTVT dated August 29, 2014 of the Minister of Transport stipulating the quality of passenger services at airports and Circular No. 14/2015/TT-BGTVT dated April 27, 2015 of the Minister of Transport stipulating compensation for non-refundable advance payments in air passenger transport.

Article 1. Amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 36/2014/TT-BGTVT dated August 29, 2014 of the Minister of Transport stipulating the quality of passenger services at airports (Circular No. 36/2014/TT-BGTVT) with the following contents:

1. Clause 2, Article 2 shall be amended and supplemented as follows:

“2. Air carriers, airport enterprises, service providers of passenger terminals, ground handling service providers, and non-aeronautical service providers at airports.”

2. Supplementing point i of Clause 1 Article 3 as follows:

“i) Smoking area.”

3. Clause 2, Article 3 shall be amended and supplemented as follows:

“2. Airport enterprises and service providers of passenger terminals shall ensure basic functional areas at passenger terminals as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article, and in addition, they must also ensure other functional areas as prescribed by the Minister of Transport on the management and operation of airports.”

4. Clause 1 Article 4 is amended and supplemented as follows:

“1. Air carriers, airport enterprises, service providers of passenger terminals, and ground handling service providers shall be responsible for issuing, implementing, and disseminating the Passenger Service Procedure at airports and issuing procedures for coordination with related units in passenger service work.”

5. Clause 1 Article 5 shall be amended and supplemented as follows:

“1. Airport enterprises and service providers of passenger terminals shall be responsible for:

a) Ensuring floor space for check-in areas and minimum circulation space of 1.2 meters² for each passenger during peak hours according to the terminal's operational limits;

b) Providing sufficient check-in counters for airlines based on the airlines' requirements and in accordance with the infrastructure at the terminal;

c) Providing adequate signage in both Vietnamese and English (using electronic boards, screens, or hanging signs) to display flight information, estimated check-in counter closure times; notices guiding passengers about prohibited items and dangerous goods that cannot be carried on board, and instructions regarding necessary travel documents according to aviation security regulations at check-in counters;

d) Meeting floor space requirements for departure lounge areas and minimum circulation space of 0.6 meters² for each passenger during peak hours according to the terminal's operational limits;

f) Arranging seating at airports as follows: ensuring a minimum of 5% of the total number of peak hour passengers according to the terminal's operational limits in the check-in area; ensuring a minimum of 70% of the total number of peak hour passengers according to the terminal's operational limits in the departure lounge area; arranging separate seats for elderly, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and others requiring special assistance;

e) Installing security cameras in check-in areas, baggage screening areas, baggage conveyor belts, and passenger security check areas at airports;

g) Starting from January 1, 2020, ensuring the full provision of common passenger check-in systems at all airports, except for check-in areas reserved exclusively for one airline’s operations.”

6. Points d, f Clause Clause 2 Article 5 is amended and supplemented as follows:

“d) Announcing and implementing the opening and closing of counters as follows: the opening time for domestic flights is two hours before the scheduled departure time, and for international flights, it is three hours before the scheduled departure time; the closing time (end of accepting passengers) for domestic flights is 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time, and for international flights, it is 50 minutes before the scheduled departure time; in case of flight delays, the closing time should be postponed accordingly with the new departure time (only applicable to the new departure time on the schedule) or counters reopened according to the new departure time;

f) Arranging staff to assist passengers who have not checked in 15 minutes before the counter closing time and informing security, immigration, and customs departments to support passengers in completing their procedures.”

7. Supplementing point h of Clause 2 Article 5as follows:

“h) Starting from January 1, 2020, connecting their own check-in system to the common passenger check-in system at all airports, except for check-in areas reserved exclusively for one airline’s operations.”

8. Point d of Clause 1 Article 6 is amended and supplemented as follows:

"d) On the basis of the service supply contract, require the service provider to ensure the provision of passenger buses from the aircraft door to the aircraft parking position for flights not using passenger boarding bridges with a distance greater than 50 meters (m) between the aircraft door and the aircraft parking position; arrange separate seats for the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities on passenger buses from the terminal to the aircraft."

9. Clause 3 of Article 6 shall be amended and supplemented as follows:

“3. The representative of the airline or the organization or individual authorized to operate at the airport shall be responsible for supervising the activities of boarding passengers onto the aircraft.”

10. Article 7shall be amended and supplemented as follows:

“Article 7: Passenger services for delayed, interrupted, or cancelled flights

1. The airline must provide information about the flight status to the airport company, passenger terminal service provider, ground technical service supplier, and civil aviation authorities where the flight delay or cancellation occurs; arrange staff to inform and organize the provision of services that passengers are entitled to according to regulations, address passengers' concerns and needs based on the actual situation at the airport and the law.

2. In cases of planned delays or interruptions of 15 minutes or more compared to the scheduled flight time, the airline shall be responsible for:

a) Informing passengers of relevant flight information, specifically including: flight number and route; reason for the delay or interruption; expected take-off time or alternative flight plan; passenger service plan; passenger assistance department (location, identification signs);

b) Apologizing to passengers.

3. In cases where passengers have been confirmed on a flight but the transportation is delayed, interrupted, or cancelled, the airline shall be responsible for serving passengers according to the following provisions:

a) A delay of two hours or more requires the provision of drinking water;

b) A delay of three hours or more requires the provision of meals;

c) A delay of six hours or more (from seven o'clock to before twenty-two o'clock) requires arranging suitable accommodation based on the actual conditions of the airport;

d) A delay of six hours or more (from twenty-two o'clock the previous day to before seven o'clock the next day) requires arranging suitable sleeping or resting places based on the actual conditions of the locality or alternative solutions if agreed by the passengers;

đ) Re-routing the passenger's journey within the scope of the airline's service provision to enable the passenger to reach the final destination as quickly and conveniently as possible.

4. The provision of services stipulated in this Article does not limit the performance of other obligations of the airline when transporting passengers according to the law.

5. The airport company and the passenger terminal service provider must organize or request non-airline service businesses to provide food and beverage services to passengers at the airport in cases of flight delays, interruptions, or cancellations, in accordance with the actual conditions of the airport based on lease agreements and business transfer agreements between the airport company, the passenger terminal service provider, and non-airline service businesses.”

11. Point c of Clause 1 of Article 9 shall be amended and supplemented as follows:

“c) Arrange staff, information counters, and information boards to guide passengers to temporarily stop and connect flights at international airports to complete necessary procedures to continue their journey.”

12. Clause 2 of Article 9 shall be amended and supplemented as follows:

“2. The airport company and the passenger terminal service provider shall be responsible for:

a) Arranging a camera system, information system, and directional signs in the terminal to guide passengers to areas for entry formalities, customs clearance, and baggage claim;

b) Arranging staff and baggage conveyors to ensure the release of baggage for arriving flights as follows: for international flights, the first piece of luggage should move to the end of the conveyor belt within 20 minutes from being placed at the beginning of the conveyor belt, except in cases not due to the fault of the airport company or the passenger terminal service provider; for domestic flights, the first piece of luggage should move to the end of the conveyor belt within 10 minutes from being placed at the beginning of the conveyor belt, except in cases not due to the fault of the airport company or the passenger terminal service provider.”

13. Clause 1 Article 10 is supplemented as follows: MINISTRY "1. Airports enterprises and passenger terminal service enterprises shall be responsible for:

a) Providing sufficient equipment, signage systems, and broadcasting systems to display information about flights and passenger-related information at terminals. Depending on the actual conditions of the airport, airports enterprises and passenger terminal service enterprises must arrange one or more information counters with staff to assist passengers;

b) Arranging security check areas at departure terminals, personnel, and scanning machines to ensure that security procedures, including queuing time for each passenger, do not exceed 15 minutes, except in special cases decided by the Minister of Transport;

c) Immediately notifying airlines when discovering items or goods in passengers' luggage that are restricted according to the airline's transportation regulations;

d) Arranging sufficient and convenient trolleys to meet passenger needs;

đ) Organizing traffic systems and restroom areas for people with disabilities;

e) Ensuring cleanliness and civilized environment in departure and arrival terminals; restroom systems meeting standards based on the design capacity of the terminal;

g) Arranging smoking areas in isolation zones of the terminal;

h) Arranging free water counters in isolation areas of departure and arrival terminals;

i) Arranging free Wi-Fi systems at passenger terminals ensuring continuous access and connection quality;

k) Receiving and promptly resolving complaints related to service quality at airports and reporting the results in writing to the Civil Aviation Port Authority where the complaint occurred."

Clause 2

14. is supplemented as follows Article 10 is supplemented as follows: MINISTRY "2. Airlines shall be responsible for::

a) Providing information to airports enterprises and passenger terminal service enterprises to display flight-related information in both Vietnamese and English. The information includes: flight number, departure point, destination, check-in counter, estimated take-off and landing times, aircraft door for departing flights, baggage carousel for arriving flights, delayed, interrupted, or canceled flight information;

b) Receiving and promptly resolving complaints related to air transport operations of enterprises at airports and reporting the results in writing to the Civil Aviation Port Authority where the complaint occurred."

15. Clause 2 of Article 11 is amended and supplemented as follows:

"2. Airports enterprises and passenger terminal service enterprises shall be responsible for arranging space for non-airline service enterprises at airports according to the layout plan approved by the competent authority in accordance with the law."

. Article 12

16Article 12. Enterprises amended and supplemented as follows:

“1. Airlines, airports enterprises, passenger terminal service enterprises, ground commercial technical service enterprises, and non-airline service enterprises shall be responsible for issuing Labor Discipline Regulations, which include provisions on forms and levels of discipline for employees who violate regulations regarding attitude when directly interacting with passengers.

2. Service-providing units specified in Clause 1 of this Article must equip uniforms for employees working at airports to distinguish them from airline staff and passengers.

3. Airlines, airports enterprises, passenger terminal service enterprises, and non-airline service enterprises shall be responsible for publicly posting hotlines on their own websites and at airports.

4. Airports enterprises and passenger terminal service enterprises shall be responsible for arranging locations to post hotline information of all enterprises and airlines at airports."

17. Clause 3 of Article 14 is amended and supplemented as follows:

"3. Every six months, review and publish units that do not meet service quality requirements as stipulated in this Circular; direct airports enterprises and passenger terminal service enterprises to review and arrange business service layout plans to ensure common floor area for passengers as prescribed in this Circular."

18. Clause 4 of Article 15 is amended and supplemented as follows:

"4. Establish hotlines, receive complaints from passengers; monitor airports enterprises, passenger terminal service enterprises, airlines, and related service providers in handling complaints; report results to the Vietnam Civil Aviation Administration."

Amend and supplement some articles of Circular No. 14/2015/TT-BGTVT dated April 27, 2015, concerning advance compensation for non-refundable passenger transportation by air with the following contents:

12/2025/TT-BNNMT dated June 19, 2025 issued by the Minister of Agriculture and EnvironmentAmend and supplement some Articles of Circular No. 14/2015/TT-BGTVT dated April 27, 2015, on advance non-refundable compensation in air passenger transport with the following contents:

1.  Article 2 is amended and supplemented as follows:

 “Article 2 Interpretation of Terms

1. "Advance compensation without refund" means compensation in the form of money or other appropriate forms that the carrier must pay to passengers in cases prescribed by law, regardless of the actual level of damage suffered by the passengers.

2. "Passenger refused carriage" refers to a passenger who has a ticket and has been confirmed a seat on the flight but is refused carriage by the carrier.

3. "Actual takeoff time (ATD)" is the point in time starting from when the chocks are removed.

4. "Operational schedule" is the final version of the airline's daily operational schedule updated to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Airports Control Units, and Regional Air Traffic Management Companies no later than 22:00 hours Hanoi time (15:00 UTC) of the day prior to the date of operation.

5. "Cancellation schedule" is the cancellation schedule of flights of the airline notified to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Airports Control Units, and Regional Air Traffic Management Companies no later than 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

6. "Cancelled flight" is a flight not carried out based on the airline's cancellation schedule.

7. "Significantly delayed flight" is a flight with an actual departure time (counted from the time the aircraft chocks are removed) more than four hours later than the planned takeoff time according to the operational schedule.

8. "Carrier" is the airline actually operating the flights.

9. "Seat confirmation" is the carrier's confirmation that the passenger has a seat on the flight."

“4. Provide information to Airport Control Units, airport companies, and passenger terminal service providers about the reasons for flight cancellations and significantly delayed flights immediately after the decision to cancel or after determining the flight is significantly delayed, to implement monitoring and updating to the airport and airfield information system.

5. Within 24 hours from the time the flight is scheduled to take off according to the operational schedule (in case of cancelled flight) or the actual takeoff time (in case of flight with passengers refused carriage or significantly delayed flight), airlines shall submit preliminary reports to Airport Control Units regarding flight service operations including flight number, scheduled departure time, actual takeoff time, number of affected passengers, total number of passengers compensated, total compensation amount, total number of passengers served meals, accommodation, or transportation, total additional costs incurred. Airlines must compile detailed information and submit written reports to Airport Control Units within 72 hours from the time the flight is scheduled to take off (in case of cancelled flight) or the actual takeoff time (in case of flight with passengers refused carriage or significantly delayed flight) in accordance with the model attached to this Circular. In case the airline has already submitted detailed reports according to the model attached to this Circular to Airport Control Units within 24 hours, the airline does not need to submit a second report within 72 hours.”

a) In case of expected temporary idle STF in the quarter or year, the STF management plan clearly specifies the limits of using temporary idle STF as stipulated in Article 13 of this Circular.

“2. The carrier is exempted from the obligation to pay advance compensation without refund in cases where the passenger is transported free of charge; the passenger is transported at a reduced fare applicable to airline employees (Industry Discount Ticket), airline agent employees (Agent Discount), partners, customers using discounted tickets.”

4. Clause 4 of Article 8 is added as follows:

“4. In the case where a significantly delayed flight is subsequently cancelled, advance compensation without refund shall only be applied once.”

5. Article 14 shall be amended and supplemented as follows:

“Article 14. Responsibilities of air cargo enterprises and passenger terminal service providing enterprises

Air cargo enterprises and passenger terminal service providing enterprises shall be responsible for updating information on canceled or delayed flights onto the airport's information system immediately upon receipt of such information from the carrier in accordance with Clause 4, Article 4 of this Circular.

Article 3. Implementation

1.   This Circular takes effect from November 1, 2017.

2. The Director of the Office, the Inspector General, Heads of Departments, the Director of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Heads of agencies, organizations, and individuals related to this Circular shall be responsible for its implementation./.