What assistance are available to passengers whose flights are delayed due to the transfer to Tan Son Nhat Terminal 3?

What support policies do airlines have for passengers affected by the change in operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 at Tan Son Nhat Airport starting August 18th?

To protect passengers' rights, airlines have developed support policies for passengers with flights to/from Tan Son Nhat Airport during the first week of the terminal transition.

Free ticket exchange

Bamboo Airways announced that, starting at 0:00 on August 18th, the airline will transfer all domestic flight operations from Terminal T1 to Terminal T3 at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

“Within the 7-day period from August 18th to August 25th, Bamboo Airways passengers whose flights departing from Terminal 3 were delayed due to lack of information, but who arrived at Terminal 3 within 20 minutes of the departure time printed on their tickets and were confirmed by Bamboo Airways ground staff, will be assisted in changing their tickets completely free of charge to the next available flight on the same route,” a Bamboo Airways leader stated.

Bamboo Airways is proactively implementing measures to support passengers.

In the event that subsequent flights are fully booked, Bamboo Airways will still assist passengers with free ticket changes and waive the fare difference for the nearest available flight. For routes with only one flight per day, passengers will be assisted with free ticket changes to a flight with the same itinerary on the following day.

At Terminal 3, Bamboo Airways flights will be processed at counters 45-50 (opposite gates D2 and D3 of Terminal 3, Tan Son Nhat International Airport) and will be flexibly expanded to counters 43-52 depending on actual passenger volume and demand. The airline's last-minute ticket counter will be located near gate D2 for convenient access when needed.

Vietnam Airlines Group also announced that, from 4:00 AM on August 19th, all domestic flights of the airline (including Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and Vasco) will be operated from Terminal 3 at Tan Son Nhat Airport.

This transition includes all domestic flights of Pacific Airlines and Vasco, as well as the remaining flights of Vietnam Airlines on routes between Ho Chi Minh City and Con Dao, Rach Gia, and Ca Mau .

"Concentrating all domestic operations at the modern terminal helps Vietnam Airlines Group standardize service processes, replacing the previous parallel operation at two terminals, while enhancing passenger experience and providing a convenient, seamless, and high-quality journey," a Vietnam Airlines leader stated.

From 4:00 AM on August 19th, all domestic flights of Vietnam Airlines Group (including Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and Vasco) will operate from Terminal 3 at Tan Son Nhat Airport.

At Terminal 3, Vietnam Airlines passengers should check in at counters 56 to 109. Pacific Airlines passengers are expected to check in at counters 11 to 18; Vasco passengers and passengers on Vietnam Airlines flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Con Dao, Rach Gia, and Ca Mau will check in at counters 19 to 24.

In addition, 22 self-check-in kiosks are located at the terminal, allowing passengers of all three airlines to be more proactive and save time when checking in.

During the initial transition period, from August 19th to September 30th, Vietnam Airlines Group will implement a ticket change support policy for cases affected by the terminal change.

Strengthening service quality

Airlines also recommend that passengers carefully check the departure terminal information printed on their tickets, familiarize themselves with the T3 terminal map, pay attention to signage if there are connecting flights between terminals, and contact ground staff for assistance if needed.

Passengers are encouraged to check in online via the website, mobile app, or airport kiosks. Passengers should arrive at the airport at least two hours before departure time to avoid delays.

Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, Terminal 3 boasts 90 traditional check-in counters, 20 automated drop-off counters, 42 check-in kiosks, 27 boarding gates (including 13 jet bridges and 14 bus-based boarding gates), 25 security checkpoints, and separate lounge areas for VIPs and business travelers.

Airlines are proactively planning their operations at Tan Son Nhat Terminal 3.

According to the latest statistics from the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority, in the first seven months of the year, 164,577 flights were operated, higher than the 154,276 flights in the same period of 2024.

However, the industry-wide average on-time performance rate decreased compared to the same period last year, reaching 62.7%.

Bamboo Airways led in average on-time performance, with 80.1% of flights on time. Pacific Airlines and VASCO recorded on-time performance rates of 79.2% and 79.1%, respectively.

Vietnam Airlines, the national airline, achieved an on-time performance rate of 70% in the first seven months of 2025, while Vietravel Airlines achieved 68.5%. Vietjet Air had an on-time performance rate of 51.6%.

Regarding flight cancellation rates, in the first seven months of 2025, the entire domestic aviation industry recorded 1,097 canceled flights, equivalent to a rate of 0.7% - an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to the same period last year.

Bamboo Airways had the fewest cancellations, with only 0.1% of flights cancelled. Vietjet Air also recorded a lower-than-average cancellation rate, at 0.6%. Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and Vietravel Airlines recorded cancellation rates of 0.8%, 0.9%, and 1.2%, respectively. The airline with the most cancellations was VASCO, with 1.4% of flights cancelled.

Ahead of the September 2nd holiday, a significant increase in both international and domestic passengers is predicted at Noi Bai Airport. The peak day is estimated to see nearly 110,000 passengers and 638 flights, approximately 20% higher than the same period in 2024. Noi Bai International Airport plans to coordinate closely with airlines, calculating and preparing optimal solutions to serve passengers during this peak period.

At Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, domestic airlines also have plans to utilize Terminal 3 to enhance capacity and serve the increased travel demand of passengers during the national holiday, while simultaneously reducing pressure on the existing Terminal 1.

PHAM DUY

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/tre-chuyen-do-di-chuyen-sang-nha-ga-t3-tan-son-nhat-hanh-khach-duoc-ho-tro-gi-ar960101.html