Vietjet Air and Vietnam Airlines, two carriers allocated a significant number of slots at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports, have been found to misuse or leave hundreds of these slots unused.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) recently conducted a slot usage audit at the two major airports, revealing that Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air have the highest rates of slot mismanagement.

In October, Vietnam Airlines was assigned 2,945 slots at Tan Son Nhat Airport. The airline correctly utilized 2,331 slots but misused 441 slots and left 173 slots unused.

Similarly, Vietjet Air was allocated 2,983 slots at the same airport but only operated 1,946 correctly, with 855 misused slots and 182 slots left unutilized.

Other airlines also received slots ranging from 189 to 427 at Tan Son Nhat, but their rates of misuse were much lower. For instance, Bamboo Airways misused 58 slots, Vietravel Airlines misused 38, and Jetstar Pacific Airlines recorded just 8 slot violations.

At Noi Bai Airport, Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air again received the largest number of slots, 2,529 and 2,102, respectively. However, Vietnam Airlines misused 264 slots and left 142 unused. Vietjet Air misused 567 slots and failed to use 128 slots.

The primary reason for slot mismanagement is flight delays, which cause airlines to miss their designated times.

Since late 2022, the CAAV has intensified slot management oversight, following directives from the Ministry of Transport to improve slot allocation, coordination, and compliance. Airlines have been warned to address issues related to delays, cancellations, and improper slot usage. Violations are subject to strict penalties under regulatory authority.

N. Huyen