Vietnam DPM Binh urges aviation security

VIETNAMESE Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has ordered domestic airlines to take action to avoid further incidents that threaten aviation security.

Chairing a meeting on Tuesday which aimed to review civil aviation security and safety in the first seven months, Binh, who is chairman of the National Civil Aviation Security Committee, pointed out several shortcomings that lead to aviation insecurity.

These include thefts, passengers carrying weapons and dangerous items, public disorder and assaults on aviation personnel.

Most of those incidents were caused by human mistakes, he said, asking the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV ) to inspect direct, indirect causes and effects to seek preventive solutions, especially to supervise the problem-solving process.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines director-general Duong Tri Thanh said some people even accessed the booking reservation systems to steal personal information of passengers. Vietnam Airlines staff have discovered many thefts at check-in counters or on flights.

Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV ) director-general Vu The Phiet said unlicensed taxi services resumed operation in June and July, posing risks to airports’ security.

Binh ordered the Ministry of Transport to work with the ministries of public security, defence, information and communications to improve quality of information network security and safety. They have been assigned to organise response drills for cybersecurity incidents.

Relevant ministries were urged to step up the progress of establishing police stations at key airports and building air security forces.

The transport ministry must closely monitor contractors and relevant units conducting runway upgrade projects at Hanoi’s Noi Bai and Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat airports to ensure their progress as well as security and safety, he said.

Dinh Viet Thang, CAAV director and National Civil Aviation Security Committee chief of the secretariat, said 80 per cent of aircraft managed by domestic airlines are not operating.

In the first seven months of this year, airports nationwide received about 43 million passengers, a year-on-year decrease of 37.5 per cent.

Among 43 million passengers, there were only seven million people from overseas, down by 71.1 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Phiet added that the business would face revenue losses of nearly 600 billion dong ($25.9 million) this year.