As of November 1, passengers in Vietnam whose flights are delayed by more than three hours will be entitled to a free meal, according to Circular 27 issued by the Ministry of Transport.
According to VietnamNet, the new circular details airlines’ obligations to passengers in different cases of delayed flights.
Specifically, if a flight is delayed by 15 minutes, the airline is required to provide passengers with – beside an apology – flight information updates such as the reason for the delay, expected departure time, replacement flight plans and the location of an information counter.
If the flight is delayed by more than two hours, free beverages will be provided. If the delay exceeds three hours, passengers will be entitled to free meals.
In case of a six-hour delay or longer, airlines are obliged to provide appropriate resting areas or accommodation, depending on the time of day when the delay takes place. In addition, airlines can provide an alternative solution with the passengers’ consent, the news source added.
Airlines will not be liable for such compensation if tickets for the delayed flight were complimentary or purchased at a discount, including discounts for employees, business partners, clients, etc.
[Photo via Thanh Nien]