After Dan Tri newspaper published the article "Banh mi 208,000 VND at Noi Bai, customers complain it is more expensive than at the international airport", the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam sent a document requesting Noi Bai airport to coordinate with the Northern Airport Authority to verify and clarify the content of the reflection.
The Civil Aviation Authority also requested the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) to review the prices of goods and services, especially food and beverage services at the airport, to ensure that the selling price is commensurate with the quality and not too high compared to the general level of similar goods and services.
A 208,000 VND sandwich was bought at Noi Bai airport (Photo: Character provided).
The story of airport food prices always attracts the attention of many people. Articles on this topic are hotly debated.
Some agree that airport food is expensive because the rent at airports is high, a sandwich or a bowl of pho can cost a lot, and airports are often far from the city center. However, many people disagree, saying that airport food is inexplicably expensive, and that high prices will lead to consequences and be a barrier to tourism .
No choice?
Below the articles, many readers shared their experiences buying food at expensive prices at some airports in Vietnam.
Reader My Linh shared that 2 years ago, the prices at the airport made her startled. In 2023, while waiting for her plane at Noi Bai airport, because she was so thirsty, she bought a 500ml bottle of water for 80,000 VND. "I was already thirsty, but when I took a sip of water, it tasted even more bitter," she shared.
Discussing the issue, many opinions say that if food prices at the airport are not regulated and corrected, it will be no different from the phenomenon of "price gouging".
Reader with the account G.Ocean Do said that he personally experienced food services at several foreign airports and found the prices at Noi Bai airport "super unreasonable, especially at the international terminal".
“The price of food and drinks here is 150% more expensive than in the US or Canada, not to mention airports in other countries in the region. A cup of cappuccino at a Vietnamese shop costs nearly 10 USD, or over 200,000 VND. This is a snatch-and-grab business. How will international visitors feel when they arrive? Doing so makes it difficult to attract tourists,” this reader wrote.
Another opinion also said that we should not use operating costs as an excuse to increase food and beverage prices compared to the general level.
“Labor costs in Vietnam cannot be higher than in the US, Canada or Japan while food at the airports of these countries is not much different from normal.
Suppose there are expenses that are higher than normal but cannot be ten times more expensive like that, when thirsty then have to drink, when hungry then have to eat, not forcing but end up forcing customers", this reader expressed his opinion.
According to a reader with the account Papo, many passengers find airport service prices too expensive but “don’t know who to complain to”.
“Traveling by plane has different characteristics from taxis or buses. To be on time for the flight, many people often arrive early, or because they are busy, they don't have time to eat at home, the plane is late, or takes off late due to weather...
After completing the procedures and entering the waiting area, despite knowing the high prices, many people still had to eat because they had no other choice. “Therefore, the price is too expensive while the quality of the food is only average, which is a rip-off, not a normal transaction,” this reader wrote.
Benefits the minority but creates barriers to tourism
Reader Hung Phan believes that high prices will have a huge impact on the tourism industry. The benefits will flow into the pockets of some individuals, but the consequences will affect the overall development.
Reader Hung Thanh believes that Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports need to consider food service prices because there have been many reported incidents where food prices are unreasonably high compared to the general level.
“If the management agency says that the high rent means that the premises must be sold at a high price to cover the costs, then they should consider this, because wanting to stimulate tourism but leaving a bad impression on customers right at the airport with high prices is like “spreading the carpet above and nails below,” this reader commented.
Chicken pho costs 8 USD (over 200,000 VND) at Terminal T2 - Noi Bai International Airport (Photo: Tue Minh).
Reader Tuan Anh Nguyen also expressed concern that the high price of food at the airport will be an obstacle to tourism development, and tourists will not want to return to Vietnam a second time.
“The airport is the face of the tourism industry, welcoming international friends and welcoming children returning from abroad… Customers should not be made to understand that they are being “ripped off” with an “astronomical” price.
I think this should be considered carefully, with the lightest penalty being a warning, and if the practice of snatch-and-grab trading is repeated, the business license should be revoked so that another entity can do it. We cannot let the situation of complaints about prices at a major airport cause a stir in public opinion every now and then,” reader Viet Anh shared.
Ways to overcome expensive airport cargo prices around the world
Not only in Vietnam, the prices of goods at airports in many countries around the world are also high. In response to complaints from passengers, the authorities of some countries have applied management models or issued regulations to help consumers shop at more reasonable prices.
In Thailand, in 2016, the country's press reported on the high prices of airport food. Specifically, a plate of Thai-style chicken rice at Don Mueang International Airport (Bangkok) was sold for 159 baht (127,000 VND).
In response to complaints from passengers, Inspector General Withawat Rachatanant conducted a site inspection at the airport and found that food prices here were 85-200% higher than the same items sold in grocery stores.
"It's incredibly expensive. A family of two has to spend at least 500 baht (VND350,000) for a meal at the airport," said the Inspector General.
After conducting the inspection, he asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand to require food stalls in the airport to reduce their selling prices. However, the vendors said that the selling prices were high because they had to open 24/7 and had to bear higher rental costs than outside.
Airport food courts in Thailand are affordable (Photo: Nation).
In 2018, after a Japanese newspaper article reported that goods prices at Bangkok's airport were high, then-Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha asked authorities to investigate.
To overcome the problem of high food and drink prices, Don Mueang Airport has set up a separate food court where dishes are sold at cheap prices, averaging around 60 baht/dish (42,000 VND) and no dish costs more than 100 baht (70,000 VND).
In India, the high prices of food and drinks at airports have been a source of complaints from many passengers. This issue has been raised by many lawmakers in parliament.
In 2024, the Indian government launched the “Udaan Yatri Cafe” program at airports to provide affordable food and drinks to passengers. The model was piloted at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport in Kolkata. If successful, the government plans to replicate the model nationwide.
Cafe model selling cheap food and drinks at Indian airport (Photo: India).
After a short time of opening, this cafe model has attracted about 900 customers/day. Here, passengers can buy a cup of coffee or a bottle of water for 10 Rupees (3,000 VND), a cake and a samosa (fried dumpling) for 20 Rupees (6,000 VND).
In the US, in July 2021, a passenger complained about buying beer at the airport for $27.85 (VND 727,000) on social media. Immediately after that, the authorities began investigating.
Through inspection, the authorities determined that there was a situation of selling beer at expensive prices as reflected by customers. The management agencies of LaGuardia, JFK and Newark airports in New York and the state of New Jersey issued a 35-page guide to businesses and goods trading at the airport.
Accordingly, airport vendors are not allowed to list prices 10% higher than outside stores.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/vu-banh-mi-208000-dong-o-noi-bai-cach-cac-nuoc-ngan-chat-chem-o-san-bay-20250714214832852.htm
Comment (0)