Need to re-plan the airport system to avoid waste

On October 22, the National Assembly discussed in groups the draft Law on Civil Aviation of Vietnam (amended). Many National Assembly deputies shared the same view: it is necessary to re-plan the airport system.

Delegate Tran Cong Phan (HCMC) asked: Are there too many airports, because currently some places only a few dozen kilometers apart have two airports. "We need to re-plan and calculate carefully to ensure efficiency. It is not necessary for every province to have an airport to avoid waste. Too close a distance can easily lead to air congestion," the delegate said.

According to Deputy Tran Cong Phan, currently, many passengers miss their flights and only receive a notice of “operational reasons” from the carrier. The Deputy believes that the responsibility of the carrier in not ensuring the time and quality of transportation must be clearly defined.

The delegation of the National Assembly of Ho Chi Minh City discussed in groups on October 22. Photo: QUANG PHUC

Deputy Tran Hoang Ngan (HCMC) also assessed that aviation is increasingly important in current conditions, and it is necessary to ensure synchronous connectivity between aviation, roads, and urban railway projects. "Aviation planning needs to be carefully calculated, and the draft states that support for aviation development in remote areas needs to consider the necessity," said Deputy Tran Hoang Ngan.

Delegate Pham Khanh Phong Lan (HCMC) also expressed concerns about aviation planning, with airports unreasonably close to each other. “Investment must be calculated. Building an airport, railway, and highway in the same area without careful calculation will be a waste, while we still have a lot of work to do,” the delegate said.

President Luong Cuong speaks at the discussion session of the Ho Chi Minh City National Assembly delegation. Photo: QUANG PHUC

According to Deputy Pham Van Hoa ( Dong Thap ), in the context of administrative unit rearrangement, the airport planning system (which was built for 63 provinces and cities) also needs to be reviewed and adjusted. "Currently, the whole country has 34 provinces and cities, a locality can have 2 airports; when the North-South high-speed railway comes, is there a need for so many airports, is it wasteful?", the Deputy wondered.

Regarding the rights and responsibilities of airlines towards passengers, Deputy Pham Van Hoa said that the regulations on compensation for customers in the law are quite general. In reality, flight delays happen quite often, even at non-low-cost airlines. The reasons given are often difficult to accept, such as "due to flight operations", not force majeure. "It is necessary to be clear, specific and fair, clearly stating that compensation must be paid; how compensation is to be included in the guiding decree", Deputy Pham Van Hoa suggested.

Delegate Le Huu Tri (Khanh Hoa) said that 2/3 of the provinces and cities have airports, if we continue to develop airports in the provinces, this is different from the world. According to Delegate Le Huu Tri's point of view, having airports too close, while other means of transport can be used instead, therefore it is necessary to calculate national planning, including the transport and aviation sectors.

Delegate Le Huu Tri also proposed standardizing airport standards to avoid the situation of “welcoming one international flight a day”. Delegate suggested having a mechanism to encourage and expand the participation of all subjects and components, creating competition in prices and aviation services. Only then can we promote and develop the aviation industry to meet new requirements.

Speaking at the Ho Chi Minh City delegation, President Luong Cuong said that this is the last session of the 15th tenure, with a huge amount of laws to be considered. The law must ensure a common legal corridor, on that basis, the Government will issue decrees, and ministries and branches will issue circulars for implementation.

President Luong Cuong reiterated Vietnam's target of becoming a high-income country by 2045 and affirmed that the current institutional improvement and legal development are aimed at meeting current requirements and that goal. According to the President, the institutional improvement is also aimed at removing current obstacles, in line with the two-level local government model.

Regarding aviation, the President agreed with the opinions of the delegates that planning must ensure rationality, and if it is not reasonable, we will adjust it. Every locality wants to have an airport, but planners and planners must be steadfast and ensure that the planning is reasonable.

The President mentioned the relationship between airlines and passengers. “If you are late, I have to wait, but if I am late, you fly, you leave me alone”; like electricity, if I am late in paying, the electricity bill will be cut off, but if they are late, they just apologize”. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly define the responsibilities of the airport.

The President also emphasized the need to ensure aviation security and safety, achieve economic, defense and foreign affairs efficiency; the issue of internal connectivity between each airline; between state and private aviation, foreign aviation; all issues need to be studied to be included in the law, then specified...

PHAN THAO-ANH THU-DO TRUNG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/can-quy-hoach-lai-he-thong-cang-hang-khong-tranh-lang-phi-post819336.html