Circular No. 71/2011/TT-BGTVT on Supporting Elderly People when Using Public Transportation

CIRCULAR

Regulations on Supporting Elderly People When Participating in Public Transport

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Pursuant to the Law on the Elderly dated November 23, 2009;

Pursuant to Decree No. 06/2011/NĐ-CP dated January 14, 2011 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on the Elderly;

Pursuant to Decree No. 51/2008/NĐ-CP dated April 22, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Transport;

The Minister of Transport hereby promulgates regulations on supporting elderly people when participating in public transport as follows:

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Thông tư này quy định chi tiết khoản 4 Điều 38 Luật Thủy sản số 18/2017/QH14 đã được sửa đổi, bổ sung tại điểm c khoản 21 Điều 14 Luật số 146/2025/QH15.

These Circulars stipulate the assistance and creation of favorable conditions for elderly people when participating in public transport.

Thông tư này áp dụng đối với tổ chức, cá nhân có liên quan đến hoạt động kinh doanh đối tượng thủy sản nuôi chủ lực trên lãnh thổ Việt Nam.

a) Agencies, units, organizations, and individuals related to the field of public passenger transport;

b) Participants in traffic aged 60 years or older as provided for in Article 2 of the Law on the Elderly.

Article 2. Regulations on Supporting Elderly People When Participating in Public Transport

1. Support for elderly people when participating in rail and waterway transport

a) Elderly people traveling by train, ship, and inland waterway vessels shall purchase tickets at counters designated for priority groups;

Staff on board the train have the responsibility to guide and arrange convenient seating for elderly people; assist elderly people when boarding and disembarking from the means of transport and arranging luggage when necessary.

b) Elderly people traveling by train shall be entitled to a minimum 15% discount on ticket prices and service fees when using services such as baggage handling, purchasing tickets via telephone, delivering tickets to their homes; and a minimum 15% discount on ticket prices when traveling by inland waterway vessels and ships.

The specific discount rates shall be established and announced by the heads of transportation business organizations based on actual conditions and specific time periods.

2. Support for elderly people when participating in road transport

a) Elderly people using public road passenger transport means shall be given priority to purchase tickets at counters and use seats reserved for priority groups;

Drivers and staff serving passengers on vehicles have the responsibility to guide elderly people to use priority seats, assist them in boarding and disembarking from the vehicle, and arrange luggage for those requiring special care;

b) Encourage transportation businesses to develop plans to waive or reduce ticket prices for elderly people and announce these plans on all routes;

3. Support for elderly people when participating in air transport

a) Staff of Vietnamese airlines, airport enterprises, and other aviation service providers have the responsibility to guide, support, and facilitate elderly people throughout the passenger service chain at Vietnamese airports, including check-in procedures, seat allocation, security checks, waiting in lounges, boarding flights, and collecting checked baggage upon arrival;

b) Flight crews of Vietnamese airlines have the responsibility to provide detailed guidance and support elderly people in accessing their seats and arranging personal luggage on the aircraft;

c) Enterprises mentioned in points a and b of this clause must develop new or supplement and amend existing guidelines and materials for passenger service to implement the provisions of this clause, tailored to each airport;

d) Elderly passengers are entitled to a minimum 15% discount on economy class ticket prices with limited restrictions sold within Vietnam on domestic air routes. Specific discount rates shall be established and announced by airlines based on actual conditions.

4. If elderly people requiring special care are accompanied by relatives, the accompanying person shall be arranged suitable seating to facilitate care.

5. If elderly people simultaneously qualify for ticket price reductions under different schemes, they shall only benefit from the highest discount rate.

6. Encourage transportation businesses providing public passenger transport to invest in means and equipment to ensure safe and convenient participation in transport for elderly people: low-floor buses; tools to assist elderly people in boarding and alighting from vehicles; information devices and other tools.

Article 3. Implementation Organization

Article 3. Responsibilities of Management Agencies

a) The General Department of Highways, the Directorate of Inland Waterways, the Directorate of Civil Aviation, the Railway Corporation, and the Civil Aviation Administration have the responsibility to guide and inspect transportation business organizations to comply with the provisions of this Circular;

b) Departments of Transport have the responsibility to organize publicity and dissemination, monitor, and guide transportation business organizations operating within their jurisdiction to comply with the provisions of this Circular.

Article 4. Responsibilities of Transportation Business Organizations

a) Prepare necessary conditions to assist elderly people in participating in public transport in accordance with Clause 2 of Article 4 and Clause 4 of Article 5 of Decree No. 06/2011/NĐ-CP of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on the Elderly and the provisions of Article 2 of this Circular;

b) Implement measures to inform elderly people and relevant parties about activities supporting elderly people when participating in public transport;

c) Incorporate content on assisting elderly passengers into training sessions and operational guidance for drivers and passenger service staff.

Article 5. Responsibilities of Transport Associations

Organize publicity, dissemination, and notification to member organizations and individuals engaged in passenger transport to implement the provisions of this Circular.

Article 6. Responsibilities of Passengers

Passengers participating in public passenger transport have the responsibility to help and support elderly people; cooperate with passenger service staff on board to facilitate the participation of elderly people in transport.

Article 4. Effectiveness and Responsibility for Implementation

1. This Circular shall take effect 45 days from the date of signature.

2. The Head of the Ministry’s Office; the Inspector General of the Ministry; the Heads of the Departments; the Director of the Vietnam Highway Administration; the Directors of the Inland Waterway of Vietnam, Vietnam Maritime, Vietnam Railways, and Vietnam Civil Aviation Bureaus; the Directors of the Departments of Transport of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government, and other related organizations and individuals shall be responsible for implementing this Circular.

3. During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals must promptly report to the Ministry of Transport for consideration and resolution./.