Ho Chi Minh City airport applies dual luggage scan to cut exit time

The new procedure is made pursuant to Government Decree 92 on aviation security issued on October 13, 2015 that will take effect on November 27, 2015.

Based on the decree, the transport ministry called on its finance counterpart, which manages the General Department of Vietnam Customs, to combine the two procedures into one.

After the finance ministry gave approval to the dual scanning method, the transport ministry’s Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) requested that all international airports and those domestic terminals that offer international services carry out the one-time luggage scan within the final quarter of this year.

The new procedure must be jointly implemented by customs and security forces at each of the airports, the CAAV said.

The dual luggage scan is aimed at reducing the time passengers have to wait for their baggage to be checked before they leave Vietnam, according to the CAAV.

As for Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the CAAV have requested that the new rule be applied sooner than other airports.

During the one-time scan, customs officers will examine luggage to discover and handle any illegal exports from Vietnam such as undeclared foreign currency or Vietnamese dong; gold, precious metals and stones; or goods that are banned from being exported.

Meanwhile, security officers will check luggage to detect and handle any weapons, explosives or other items that can threaten flight safety.

Previously, passengers leaving Vietnam via Tan Son Nhat, as well as other international airports, had their carry-on and checked luggage scanned separately by airport security and customs officers.

This scan procedure tended to cause overload and delays during peak hours, the CAAV said.