New policies aim to advance aviation development

Ha emphasised key aspects that must be clarified in the draft, including decentralisation of authority, and comprehensive updates on aviation security and safety policies.

He said, “The drafting agency needs to closely the Politburo on innovation in law-making and enforcement to meet the requirements of national development. Major policy issues will come under the legislative authority of the National Assembly, while implementation and technical management issues will be the responsibility of the government, ministries, and agencies. We need to clearly define who does what, with the right role, and the right task."

The DPM noted that aviation security and safety is facing new threats that require addressing, from regulations on infrastructure, telecommunications equipment, and pilots, to flight safety officers and security systems inside and outside the airport.

According to Uong Viet Dung, director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, based on a review of the current law, the recommendations made by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), and emerging development needs, the drafting agency has proposed five main policy groups for revision.

The first is completing a legal framework on the organisation of state management of the aviation sector, clarifying the role and legal status of aviation authorities and aviation security authorities, and developing the aviation industry.

The second is completing aviation safety policies, closely following the eight key elements in the ICAO's safety monitoring system.

The third is updating and supplementing aviation security policies, considering them part of national security, with specialised organisations and independent investigation mechanisms.

The fourth is amending policies on investment and operation of airports, especially dual-use facilities with defence-security functions and public-private partnerships.

The fifth is developing air transport, including policies to encourage cargo carriers, improve service quality, and airline responsibility.

The Ministry of Construction (MoC) has proposed adding regulations for drones and flying taxis to catch up with technology trends and pave the way for piloting new models.

DPM Ha emphasised that new policies on aviation must aim to create breakthroughs, remove bottlenecks, and improve state management, closely following international commitments and paving the way for the development of a modern, integrated aviation industry.

He stressed that the revised law must definitively address land use and defence-security asset management at dual-use airports to prevent overlaps among aviation, land, and defence laws. Clear rules are also needed to define public-private roles in airport infrastructure investment, and operation and management, ensuring transparency and avoiding duplication.

“The drafting body should review policies on competition, slot allocation, and operating rights to ensure fairness between state-owned and private airlines, as well as a mechanism to support Vietnam's aviation development,” DPM Ha added.

He also called for the addition of environmental protection and sustainable development policies, such as updating the CO₂ emissions reduction roadmap, fully participating in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, and encouraging the use of sustainable aviation fuels.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on May 20 chaired a meeting in Hanoi on developing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and participating in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) run by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

As Vietnam increases the use of sustainable fuel in aviation, major players are seeking to gain more market share - while air carriers may seek support to push use forward.

A funding agreement was signed on June 12, during the Vietnam-Sweden Business Forum held during the official visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Sweden, to support a new scheme aimed at exploring advanced solutions to improve air traffic management in Vietnam.