Hanoi (VNA) – Seven flights of low-cost airlineVietjet Air were cancelled on April 29 after a plane of this carrier was hit bya bird last night, according to a Vietjet Air spokesperson.
The bird bumped into a wing of a Vietjet Air plane, codedVN-A673, that was en route from Cam Ranh Airport in central Khanh Hoa provinceto Cat Bi Airport in northern Hai Phong City on April 28 night.
To ensure safety, the aircraft had to make emergencylanding for a checkup and repair, leading to a series of flight cancellationsand rescheduling on April 29.
The seven flights cancelled include VJ271 from Hai Phongto Ho Chi Minh City, VJ128 from HCM City to Hanoi, VJ139 from Hanoi to HCM City,VJ214 and VJ215 from HCM City to Vinh (Nghe An) and vice versa, VJ116 from HCMCity to Hanoi, and VJ163 from Hanoi to HCM City. More than 10 others had to berescheduled.
Vietjet Air has offered assistance to affected passengersto minimise impacts on them and provided them with updates on the flightschedules via calls, texts and hotline 1900 1886.
The spokesperson said bird strikes occur frequently inthe air transport, causing heavy damages for the airlines. But safety ofpassengers is always the top priority, the spokesperson stressed.
The incident happened during the ongoing public holidayto mark the National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) fromApril 28 – May 2.
To serve the surge in travel demand in one of the biggestholiday of the year, Vietjet Air added 200 flights, with 46,000 seats, to bothdomestic and international popular tourism destinations.-VNA