Following a negative review of Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport last month, its director has issued a public apology and vowed to improve services, according to Thanh Nien.
After a scathing review of Vietnam’s major airports by The Guide to Sleeping in Airports emerged (in which Noi Bai was ranked 5th worst out of Asia’s airports), Vietnamese airport officials have been scrambling to address shortcomings.
While HCMC’s Tan Son Nhat also made this list, the site had much more to say about Noi Bai:
“Hanoi’s international and domestic airport is frequently noted for being hot, chaotic and not especially clean. In spite of its tropical location, air conditioning seems to perpetually be a problem – and the constant crowds exacerbate overheating. Sweaty travelers are further frustrated by the poor signage and limited flight information displayed throughout. A number of basic facilities are lacking at this airport as well – including foreign exchange bureaus and sufficient numbers of chairs. That all said, if you do find yourself with a prolonged period here, make your way to the third floor food court. Here, you can find a small selection of padded chairs, and access to the internet through the vendors. Just before publication, the airport installed 14 sleep pods in its international terminal and now offers free Wi-Fi available to all. That alone offers a glimmer of hope for the future!”
At a meeting on aviation security and quality chaired by Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang last Thursday, director Vu The Phiet said Noi Bai deserved its ranking.
“I apologize to passengers for the services at Noi Bai. The services are poor because of both the airport’s poor infrastructure and the quality of our staff,” said Phiet. “Over the last six months, around 10 employees have been fired and around 40 were demoted for poor performances,” he continued.
While there’s no telling how long it will take to address these shortcomings, at least Da Nang’s airport was recently ranked among the world’s best!
[Thanh Nien // Image via Jordan and Marisa Magnuson]
