Strengthening measures to ensure aviation safety and security

Illustrative photo. (Photo: Phan Cong/VNA)

The Prime Minister has just issued Directive No. 21/CT-TTg dated August 12, 2025 to strengthen measures to ensure aviation safety and security.

The Directive stated: In recent years, Vietnam's civil aviation industry has recovered and developed strongly after the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming a market with a high growth rate in the Asia- Pacific region.

In 2024, the air transport market will reach 75.5 million passengers and 1.29 million tons of cargo, an increase of 4% in passengers and 21% in cargo compared to 2023.

In the first 6 months of 2025, air transport increased by 10.6% in passengers and 15.1% in cargo compared to the same period in 2024 and increased by 6.3% in passengers and 14.6% in cargo compared to the same period in 2019 - the time before the COVID-19 pandemic and aviation activities were in a good growth phase.

This result has contributed significantly to the socio -economic development process, enhancing the country's international integration, and serving people's travel needs.

However, recently, there have been a number of incidents that pose a potential risk to flight safety, especially the collision of two aircraft at Noi Bai International Airport; prolonged flight cancellations and delays have affected security and order at the airport, creating negative public opinion; many electronic information pages of aviation units have been attacked, malicious advertisements have been inserted, and many user and customer accounts have had their information leaked.

In order to continue to concretize and effectively implement the contents of Directive No. 23-CT/TW dated May 25, 2023 of the Central Party Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership in ensuring traffic order and safety in the new situation and ensuring aviation safety and security, promoting sustainable development of Vietnam's civil aviation, the Prime Minister directed ministries, branches, localities and relevant agencies to strengthen measures to ensure aviation safety and security.

“Do not compromise aviation safety and security for any reason”

The Prime Minister emphasized the goal and principle of ensuring aviation safety and security as: "Do not trade off aviation safety and security for any reason"; "No violation is a small violation; even small mistakes have the potential to cause catastrophic accidents."

Ensure an effective and efficient aviation safety and security management system that meets international standards and complies with Vietnamese law.

Promote the dissemination and popularization of regulations on aviation security and safety. Aviation safety culture must be reflected in the awareness, behavior, and working procedures of management agencies, businesses, and each employee.

Promote the application of science, technology, and digital transformation in state management activities on aviation safety and security to create convenience for people and businesses and improve labor quality and efficiency; connect and share safety databases among agencies and units in the aviation industry.

Strictly handle violations that threaten aviation safety

The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Construction to comprehensively review and complete legal regulations on aviation safety assurance to meet relevant international treaties to which Vietnam is a member, and at the same time overcome shortcomings and limitations of current regulations, focusing on building the Law on Civil Aviation of Vietnam (replacement) and a system of documents guiding the Law to ensure progress.

Propose mechanisms and focus resources on investment in construction, development, and upgrading of aviation infrastructure to ensure safety for aviation operations.

At the same time, the Ministry of Construction researches and proposes mechanisms and policies to improve the aviation safety monitoring capacity of the Vietnam Aviation Authority, including a team of aviation safety supervisors to meet the development requirements of the market and regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Organize and vigorously implement aviation safety monitoring and assurance work; develop and implement an aviation safety culture program throughout the industry.

Strengthen regular and unscheduled safety inspections and supervision of airlines, flight service providers, and airports to improve service quality and ensure aviation safety; strictly handle violations that threaten aviation safety.

Preventing terrorist plots and activities at airports

The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Public Security to closely coordinate with the Ministry of Construction in the work of developing the Law on Civil Aviation of Vietnam (replacement) to perfect aviation security policies to meet the requirements of tasks in the new situation; continue to coordinate the implementation of Directive No. 06/CT-TTg dated February 24, 2023 of the Prime Minister on improving the capacity of ensuring aviation security and safety in the new situation.

The Ministry of Public Security shall preside over and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities to effectively implement measures to ensure aviation security; promulgate or submit to competent authorities for promulgation standards, regulations and professional procedures in aviation security work that meet the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The Ministry of Public Security directs police forces at all levels to synchronously deploy professional measures to promptly detect and prevent plots and terrorist activities, sabotage, and disturbances at airports, on aircraft, and aviation infrastructure.

The Ministry of Public Security is the focal point for coordinating between functional forces operating at airports (aviation security, police, military, customs, quarantine, port authorities...) to uniformly and effectively implement aviation security plans; develop inter-sectoral coordination regulations in aviation security work in accordance with the new situation and practical requirements.

At the same time, the Ministry of Public Security guides, inspects and supervises the activities of aviation security control forces at aviation enterprises; periodically organizes training courses and drills on situations against illegal interference in civil aviation activities and promotes the deployment of high-tech solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI), biometric identification... to improve the effectiveness of aviation security checks.

Illustrative photo. (Source: AFP)

Amendments to regulations on drone management

The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of National Defense to review and speed up the development of a Decree to replace Decree No. 36/2008/ND-CP dated March 28, 2008 of the Government on the management of unmanned aircraft and ultralight aircraft to meet the requirements of use and management in practice; direct units managing airspace, obstacle height, and flight operations to coordinate with civil aviation agencies in flight operations, ensuring safety for civil and military flight operations.

Step up the collection of data on no-fly and restricted flight zones for drones and other flying vehicles for publication as prescribed in the implementation of Decision No. 18/2020/QD-TTg dated June 10, 2020 of the Prime Minister on establishing no-fly zones and restricted flight zones for drones and ultralight flying vehicles.

The Ministry of National Defense shall take the lead in developing and implementing plans to proactively respond to the use of drones and other flying vehicles to illegally interfere with civil aviation activities; coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Construction to effectively implement Decree No. 139/2024/ND-CP dated October 24, 2024 of the Government regulating procedures for intercepting, accompanying, and forcing aircraft violating Vietnam's airspace to land at airports.

The Prime Minister requested the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities with airports to resolutely implement solutions to prevent and respond to the use of high-power light sources, laser lights, kite flying, drones, and other flying vehicles; monitor and handle aviation obstacles that violate air clearance height regulations and threaten the safety of airport areas; and deploy solutions to control birds, wild animals, and livestock in areas adjacent to airports.

Promote propaganda and dissemination of laws on aviation safety and security to the masses, especially in areas with airports, areas near airports, and routes approaching airports...

Along with that, Vietnam News Agency, Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam Television shall preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Construction and People's Committees of provinces and cities to promote communication to raise awareness among people, passengers and the community about the obligation to comply with regulations on aviation safety, security, aviation safety culture; disseminate to passengers regulations on dangerous items not to be carried on aircraft, comply with safety regulations on flights; disseminate to people in the vicinity of airports and airfields not to fly kites, burn straw, use high-power light sources, laser lights, use unmanned aircraft, other flying vehicles... causing aviation insecurity; promptly disseminate and refute untrue and unofficial information that affects aviation activities.

Improve service quality, ensure on-time departure

Vietnamese airlines strictly comply with safety regulations and standards; improve service quality, ensure on-time departure coefficients according to law; seriously implement the responsibilities of carriers, be transparent, build a culture of aviation safety and a culture of passenger service.

Effectively organize the implementation of the Safety Management System, in sync with the National Safety Program in the field of civil aviation; ensure that aircraft maintenance and operation activities comply with standards, regulations and recommendations and directives of the State management agency on aviation safety; ensure human resources and technology meet the plan for developing and operating the aircraft fleet, in accordance with the airport infrastructure; promote the accountability of the head and the role of key positions (Postholders) in the aviation safety management system.

Vietnamese airlines thoroughly understand and require pilots to strictly comply with standard operating procedures, especially during critical stages of a flight including taxiing, take-off and landing; strengthen internal inspection, assessment and supervision on flights and review operating procedures to continuously improve safety assurance; periodically organize security inspections and assessments of information systems, databases and equipment of the unit in accordance with legal regulations...

Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation thoroughly instructs all aviation staff to strictly comply with the provisions of law, state management agencies and operational procedures; especially the air traffic controller team strictly complies with the regulations, procedures and instructions in flight operations to ensure absolute safety for flight operations.

Strengthen inspection and supervision of the operational status of flight operations systems and equipment to ensure the continuity and accuracy of flight operations services; upgrade meteorological monitoring and forecasting systems to ensure accuracy and timeliness of aviation meteorological information, proactively and promptly notify and advise on adverse weather developments affecting flight operations, support flight operations, flight operations and airport management and operations.../.

According to VNA

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/tang-cuong-cac-bien-phap-bao-dam-an-toan-an-ninh-hang-khong-257855.htm