Airports operator worried about passengers falling down aircraft stairs, orders precautions

Personnel at the check-in counter and departure gate must strictly follow regulations on the size and weight of hand baggage.

Elderly and pregnant passengers must be provided with necessary assistance to safely climb up and down the stairs.

Authorities must ensure the stairs fully comply with safety standards and that they are always dry and clean before being used.

Airport and airlines must ensure there are personnel standing around the steps to act immediately if a passenger stumbles, the corporation said.

In June a 50-year-old woman died after falling while alighting from an aircraft at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.

She hit her head and bled from an injury, and was taken to a hospital for emergency aid immediately but in vain.

Last month another passenger fell down the stairs at Tho Xuan Airport in the central province of Thanh Hoa, but thankfully escaped without injury.

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam manages 22 airports across the country.