Passenger Rights and Regulations

Vietnam – Passenger Compensation Information

This Notice is issued pursuant to Circular No. 44/2023/VBHN-BGTVT dated 2 August 2023 issued by the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport , which sets out the rules governing non-refundable advanced compensation for air passenger transport for flights departing from Vietnam.

1. Applicability

Passengers travelling on flights departing from Vietnam with a confirmed reservation are, under certain conditions, entitled to compensation in the event of:

• (i) denied boarding;
• (ii) flight cancellation(s); or
• (iii) long flight delay(s) of more than four (04) hours in departure.

2. Exemptions from Compensation

a) Denied Boarding

We are exempt from providing compensation to a passenger in the event of denied boarding under any one of the following circumstance(s):

• We deem that your transportation will endanger yourself, other passenger(s) / person(s) on the aircraft or the flight due to yourhealth conditions.
• Denied boarding is implemented to prevent the spread of disease(s).
• You fail to comply with regulations on aviation safety, aviation security, aviation transport, or penalties for administrative violations against civil aviation.
• You violate public order, endanger flight safety or create negative effects on lives, health and assets of other people.
• You are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, which results in unruly behaviour.
• You are denied boarding due to security reasons, which have been notified to us by a competent authority.
• You are denied boarding at the request of a competent authority.
• You fail to present yourself for check-in before the check-in deadline at the location specified in our General Conditions of Carriage for Passengers and Baggage.

b) Flight cancellation and long flight delays

We are exempt from providing compensation to a passenger in the event of flight cancellation and long flight delays caused by:

• Weather conditions that affect the safe operation of the flight.
• Security risks that affect the safe operation of the flight.
• A decision made by a competent authority.
• A passenger’s medical condition (for example, the passenger had suffered a serious illness or dies after boarding the aircraft).
• Sabotage to the aircraft(s) or fleets of aircraft(s) scheduled to operate the flight.
• Armed conflict(s), political instability or strike(s).
• Deficiencies in the aviation infrastructure and/or unavailability of air navigation services.
• All other cases of force majeure

In addition to the above, we are exempt from providing compensation to a passenger in the event of flight cancellation and long flight delays if:

• You are offered re-routing the same destination on another flight and you arrive no more than 4 hours later than your original scheduled arrival time.
• You are offered re-routing to the same destination on another flight and you arrive no more than 6 hours later than your original scheduled arrival time of your connecting flight.

c) Other Cases

We are also exempted from providing compensation if:

• We have provided you with notice of flight cancellation or long delay of a flight verbally or via text messages or emails no less than 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure time using the contact information you have provided to us.
  • Note: If we notify you via a phone call, we will make 2 telephone calls which will be 20 minutes apart, and both calls shall be between from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time)
• You failed to provide us with your contact information as prescribed by the regulation.
• We are unable to contact you via the contact information you have provided us
• You are traveling on a free ticket or a ticket with a fare that is not available to the general public (including industry discount ticket or agent discount ticket).
• You voluntarily cancel your confirmed booking/reservation.

3. Amount of compensation

Export to Sheets

Please note that if a flight is delayed and later cancelled, compensation shall only apply once.

4. Forms of Remuneration

We may provide compensation in any of the following forms:

• Cash
• Bank transfer or other appropriate payment intermediary services, as per your request.

5. Compensation locations

• At the airport where the flight is cancelled, or where the flight takes off or lands; or
• Our branch or representative office; or
• Via the bank account you have specified to us.

6. Compensation payment time limit

• For denied boarding: If you are denied boarding due to a fault of the carrier and none of the exemptions apply, we will provide you with compensation at the airport or at the branch/representative office; or within fourteen (14) working days via bank transfer.
• For flight cancellations or long delays: If your flight is cancelled or delayed by more than four (4) hours and none of the exemptions apply, we will provide you with compensation within fourteen (14) working days from the date the flight is cancelled or delayed.

Questions and complaints

If you have any questions related to your rights under Circular No. 44/2023/VBHN-BGTVT, or wish to file a request for compensation, please contact the
Lao Airlines directly using the online Feedback on Website home page of airlines: laoairlines.com, or via head office branch of Airlines:

• Lao Airlines Ticket Office At Ha Noi Branch: No 03, Lieu Giai Street,Ngọc Ha Ward, Ha Noi City, Tel: (84) 0243 942 5362 or 093 111 0855 E-mail: ticketing.han@laoairlines.com/ qvhan@laoairlines.com
• Wattay International Airport, Souphanouvong Avenue P.O, BOX 6441, Vientiane, Lao PDR, Tel: (856-21) 510 040 or 1626, Fax: (856-21) 211 054, E-mail: mbqv@laoairlines.com / onlinebooking@laoairlines.com