A total of 39 aircraft have been left unused and parked on runways and in storage facilities as of the end of this year’s first quarter due to border closures and air travel bans induced by the COVID-19, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam (CAAV).

Aircraft park on runways at Ha Noi's Noi Bai International Airport. (Photo: VNA)

Among the aircraft, 18 belong to the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, 14 to Vietjet Air, three to Bamboo Airways and four to Pacific Airlines, data of the CAAV shows.

The grounded aircraft are among 269 airplanes registered as Vietnamese currently, up 13 from the same time last year. These comprise 247 flat-winged jets of Boeing, Airbus, ATR and Embraer as well as 22 helicopters.

It is a matter of fact that an aircraft’s condition can deteriorate for just sitting on the ground, causing problems when the plane returns to service. CAAV Director Dinh Viet Thang has issued a notice requesting airlines to rotate between in-service and stored jets every month.

Accordingly, airlines are required to leave aircraft unused for no longer than one month in order to reduce safety risks associated with prolonged parking. They must report and obtain approval from the CAAV if an airplane needs to be grounded for more than a month for repair and maintenance, except for periodic inspection.

Airlines must regularly update and strictly comply with instructions provided by manufacturers in terms of maintenance for aircraft in long-term storage, Thang said, adding that inspection and maintenance measures must be strengthened for these jets in order to promptly get any problems fixed.

Source: VNA