Vietnam to tighten aviation security

HANOI, 23 February 2015: Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister, Hoang Trung Hai, has urged the aviation sector to tighten procedures to ensure 2015 is free of air traffic safety incidents.

Local media quoted the Deputy Prime Minister, Hoang Trung Hai, as saying flight safety agencies, airlines, and flight management corporations must have action plans to raise safety standards.

Vietnam, like all Southeast Asia nations is experiencing a travel boom; airlines expand, there are more flights and expansion is taxing air traffic control,while there are not enough qualified pilots to sustain growth.

The deputy PM added: “Agencies must tighten controls and inspections to minimise security and safety threats to planes and passengers.”

2014 was not a good year for airlines in ASEAN with Malaysia Airlines losing two planes and AirAsia Indonesia one in fatal accidents.

Vietnam now ranks 50th out of 145 countries in terms of aviation safety and security, according to the deputy PM.

According to domestic statistics, 91 incidents relating to air safety and 300 air security-related violations occurred in Vietnam in 2014, a statistics that should concern passengers.

“Although these incidents caused no serious consequences, the sector should strengthen management, control and supervision to avoid similar cases in the future,” the deputy PM said.