Agents demand debt repayment by failed carrier

Thirty one ticket agents in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Danang Thursday filed complaints with aviation authorities demanding repayment of more than VND845 million (US$43,300) by defunct carrier Indochina Airlines.

They said the airline took the money as “deposits” but has failed to repay it, adding their attempts to contact its general director, Ha Hung Dung, failed.

They want the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) to force the airline to pay them.

Indochina Airlines began operations in 2008 but had to return one of its two leased aircraft to a European lessor in April last year due to financial difficulties.

By the time it suspended operations last October, it had run up debts of VND30 billion ($1.53 million).

A month later it returned the other aircraft as well and the CAAV formally suspended its flight schedules.

In January the CAAV revoked its traffic rights after it repeatedly failed to fulfill its commitment to fly again or prove its solvency. – Tuoitre

Tags: Indochina Airlines, Vietnam aviation, Vietnam aviation industry, Vietnam aviation market