Customers return to Ho Chi Minh City early, are taxis and infrastructure at Tan Son Nhat airport overloaded?

Khách trở lại TP.HCM sớm, taxi nườm nượp chở khách ở sân bay - Ảnh 1. — Passengers returned to Ho Chi Minh City early, the airport was crowded but traffic was quite smooth on the afternoon of September 2 - Photo: CONG TRUNG

Stable weather, delays reduced significantly

According to Tuoi Tre Online , the schedule of flights to and from Tan Son Nhat Airport was mostly stable from morning to evening on September 2. Some flights were delayed due to late arrival of the aircraft, however the number was insignificant and the delay was from 1.5 to 2 hours before takeoff.

For example, on the afternoon of September 2, the flight from Tan Son Nhat to Da Lat, Hanoi was delayed by 1.5 - 2 hours. Vietnam Airlines flight VN783 to Da Lat had a departure time of 19:30 but was announced to be delayed, the new departure time was 20:05. Similarly, Vietjet had flight VJ166 to Hanoi, scheduled to depart at 18:40 but was delayed until 20:20.

For flights from the provinces to Tan Son Nhat, most are on time, some are 30 minutes behind schedule.

According to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, on September 2, there were 608 flights departing and arriving, with more than 87,000 passengers.

Of these, there were about 42,404 departures and 44,669 arrivals. This is a relatively stable number compared to the peak days of the holiday. Compared to the second day of the holiday (September 1), the situation at the airport has significantly reduced. Specifically, on September 1, the airport served 601 flights with 87,023 passengers.

Khách trở lại TP.HCM sớm, taxi nườm nượp chở khách ở sân bay - Ảnh 2. — Passengers push their cars out of the arrivals terminal, heading towards the taxi area leaving the airport - Photo: CONG TRUNG

In particular, compared to the first day of the holiday (August 31), the number of passengers has decreased significantly. On August 31, the airport welcomed more than 100,000 passengers, creating great pressure on the check-in areas and related services.

According to the airline, the weather was stable, so the flight went more smoothly than the previous two days, August 31 and September 1. September 3 is expected to be "tense" because it is the last day of the holiday, and flights are almost full. The airline advised passengers to pay attention to flight schedules, personal documents, especially luggage, to avoid overweight cases and problems when checking in at the airport.

Khách trở lại TP.HCM sớm, taxi nườm nượp chở khách ở sân bay - Ảnh 3. — Passengers crossing the street through the waiting area for taxis and ride-hailing cars on the afternoon of September 2 - Photo: CONG TRUNG

Meanwhile, passengers returning to Ho Chi Minh City to end their holiday earlier felt comfortable and moved around leisurely. Ms. Dan Linh, a passenger on a flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of September 2, said that she and her family decided to return earlier than planned to avoid traffic jams at the airport, but unexpectedly the airport was much quieter than expected. The feeling of comfort without having to jostle and rush made her happy.

"I feel like I made the right decision to come home early. Thanks to this openness, my family has more time to rest before returning to work," said Dan Linh.

Taxi "running full throttle, out of gear" to carry passengers

Tuoi Tre Online recorded that from the afternoon to the evening of September 2, the flow of domestic passengers to taxi lanes, contracted cars, and technology cars was quite leisurely. The number of service cars running in and out of the airport was regular, so passengers did not have to wait long to call a car like during previous peak holiday seasons.

Mr. Quang Tuan, a taxi driver driving a Toyota Innova, said that on September 2, there were more passengers as people returned to Ho Chi Minh City earlier than expected. From this morning to this afternoon, Mr. Tuan alone drove more than 15 trips carrying passengers from the airport to districts in the city, and further afield, there was a trip to Bien Hoa, Dong Nai province. He said that there were many passengers at certain times, but not always, so there were still many cars waiting in line to go to the airport to pick up passengers.

Khách trở lại TP.HCM sớm, taxi nườm nượp chở khách tại sân bay - Ảnh 4. — Drivers said that customers are crowded at certain times, so a shortage of taxis on September 2 is almost unlikely - Photo: CONG TRUNG

Through discussions, taxi companies Vinasun, Mai Linh, Vinataxi have a large number of priority vehicles dispatched to the airport, from 300 or more. In addition, there are taxi companies ASV, contract cars Avigo, technology cars Grab, Gojek, Be... Taxi companies have quickly dispatched cars from the parking lot on Truong Son Street to the airport to meet the travel needs of passengers. Notably, today there has been no shortage of taxis.

A taxi company leader said they are ready to flexibly coordinate vehicles. "Wherever demand increases, we will immediately dispatch vehicles there. All drivers are required to follow the correct fare according to the meter or application, ensuring transparency and customer satisfaction," he said.