National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has rescheduled departure times for flights to avoid the storm-affected areas around the Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei.
Flights VN570 from Ho Chi Minh City to Taipei on Thursday and VN571 from Taipei to Ho Chi Minh City on Friday were rescheduled to depart at the same time on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Flight VN586 from Hanoi to Kaohsiung on Thursday will depart at 4:15 a.m. on Friday, while flight VN580 from Ho Chi Minh City to Kaohsiung on Thursday was rescheduled to depart at 2:25 a.m. on Friday.
A representative of Vietnam Airlines said that the carrier has adjusted its flight schedules to ensure safety, aiming to maintain original departure and arrival times. However, as multiple airlines are rerouting to avoid the typhoon, air traffic congestion may occur, potentially causing further delays.
Vietjet has also adjusted flights to/from Taiwan on Thursday. Flights VJ948 from Hanoi to Taichung and VJ949 from Taichung to Hanoi on Thursday were rescheduled to depart at 7 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Friday. Flights VJ852 from Ho Chi Minh City to Taichung and VJ853 from Taichung to Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday were rescheduled for 8 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. on Friday. Some other flights are also experiencing delays.
According to airline representatives, adverse weather during storms is an unavoidable situation that incurs significant costs for airlines, including fuel expenses. However, passenger safety remains the top priority.
Passengers have been advised to keep a close watch on the typhoon while any flight changes arising from weather conditions would be updated on the airlines' fan pages and websites or via phone and email provided by customers.