Vietnamβs busiest airport has been hit by three separate airspace intrusion incidents in four days, causing significant disruption to flights into and out of Ho Chi Minh City.
What Happened
On the evening of 11 August 2026, two consumer drones entered Tan Son Nhat International Airportβs controlled airspace, forcing a two-hour suspension of all take-offs and landings. During the two-hour closure, more than 50 aircraft were placed in holding patterns, 27 flights diverted to alternate airports β including Cam Ranh and Can Tho β and three aircraft requested priority landing due to low fuel. In total, 73 scheduled flights were disrupted.
Two days later, on the evening of 13 August, three large illuminated kites were spotted flying at around 400 metres altitude near the airfield. Tan Son Nhat suspended operations for 13 minutes: four departure flights were held on the ground, seven inbound flights entered holding patterns, and one aircraft diverted to Cam Ranh. Another kite incident on the morning of 14 August forced a further diversion.
Why This Matters
Vietnamβs Civil Aviation Authority (CAAV) confirmed publicly that Tan Son Nhat β along with other major Vietnamese airports β has no radar, no radio-frequency sensors, and no automated early-warning systems to detect drones or UAVs. No operator has been identified or penalised in connection with any of the incidents.
The CAAV has called for stronger UAV controls and is reviewing detection technology options, but no timeline for deployment has been announced. Under current regulations, flying kites or drones in restricted airspace can carry fines of up to VNΔ 40 million (around USD 1,550), though enforcement has been inconsistent.
What Travellers Should Do
If you are flying into or out of Ho Chi Minh City in the coming days:
- Allow extra time at the airport. Diversions and holding patterns can cause cascading delays well beyond the incident itself.
- Monitor your airlineβs app for real-time status updates before heading to the airport.
- Check your travel insurance covers disruption-related costs such as rebooking fees and extra accommodation if a diversion leaves you at a different airport.
- If diverted to Cam Ranh, note that the airport serves Nha Trang and is approximately 450 km from HCMC β airlines are responsible for onward transport, but you should confirm arrangements directly with your carrier.
Our practical guide to flights to Vietnam and getting around Vietnam have more detail on airport transfer options and passenger rights.
Tan Son Nhat handles around 45 million passengers per year and is the departure point for the majority of international visitors leaving southern Vietnam. We will update this article if further incidents occur.