Vietnam's Ministry of Construction has proposed extending eligibility for state special flights and dedicated aircraft cabin services to include the Standing Member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat, in addition to the country's four highest-ranking leaders.

The Ministry of Justice has published its appraisal documents for a draft decree governing state special flights and dedicated aircraft cabin services. The draft was prepared by the Ministry of Construction.

Overall, the draft retains the main provisions of the current decree and implementing circulars.

However, it removes several definitions, including state special flights, dedicated cabin flights, Vietnamese state special and dedicated cabin flights, and foreign state special flights.

According to the Ministry of Construction, these definitions have already been incorporated into the draft Decree on Aviation Security. Removing them from the new decree is intended to avoid duplication and overlapping regulations while ensuring consistent implementation and easier cross-referencing.

The draft specifically proposes that the following senior Party and State leaders be entitled to state special flights and dedicated cabin services: the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the President, the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the National Assembly and the Standing Member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat.

The addition of the Standing Member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat is intended to ensure consistency with the 2017 Law on Protection of Key Officials, as amended in 2025, and other relevant legislation.

The draft also introduces provisions governing aviation security for Vietnam's state special and dedicated cabin flights, as well as foreign state special flights arriving in or departing from Vietnam, in accordance with the draft Decree on Aviation Security.

The ministry said these additions are necessary to align the regulations with the 2025 Law on Civil Aviation of Vietnam, under which responsibility for state management of aviation security has been assigned to competent authorities under the Ministry of Public Security.

The proposed provisions are intended to establish a clear legal framework for implementing security measures for state special flights following changes in the organization of government agencies and the allocation of state management responsibilities.

To improve efficiency and coordination, the draft also specifies the responsibilities of specialized agencies directly involved in organizing, operating and supporting state special flights.

These include the Consular Department, the Department of State Protocol and Interpretation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Operations Department and the Air Defence-Air Force Service under the Ministry of National Defence; the High Command for Guard and the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security; the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, airport authorities under the Ministry of Construction; and aviation service providers, including regional air traffic management companies, the Air Traffic Flow Management Center and the Aeronautical Information Center.

The ministry said assigning direct responsibilities to these agencies preserves effective existing practices while remaining consistent with their current functions, responsibilities and organizational structures.

The proposal is also expected to streamline inter-agency coordination, strengthen accountability and ensure the highest levels of safety and security for state special flights and dedicated cabin services.

Tran Thuong