Around 5 PM, heavy rain and thunderstorms again covered a wide area of Ho Chi Minh City, disrupting operations at Tan Son Nhat Airport. Many aircraft en route to Ho Chi Minh City had to hold in the sky, while some flights diverted to Cam Ranh and Can Tho airports, hundreds of kilometers away, to ensure safety.

Quang Thinh, a passenger on Vietjet Air flight VJ854 from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Ho Chi Minh City, reported that the aircraft departed around 1:30 PM. Upon approaching Tan Son Nhat, the flight could not land due to severe weather and was diverted to Cam Ranh, landing after 6 PM. After nearly three hours of waiting, the plane finally continued its journey back to Ho Chi Minh City around 8:45 PM.

FlightAware data revealed that before diverting, flight VJ854 circled eight times because it could not land at Tan Son Nhat. Around 6 PM, many other aircraft also had to hold over the southeastern region. The operational disruptions subsequently caused a ripple effect, delaying several flights departing from Tan Son Nhat.

Flight VJ854 from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Tan Son Nhat had to circle eight times over the western sea before diverting to Cam Ranh Airport for landing. *Photo: FlightAware screenshot*

On the same afternoon, Vietnam Airlines announced that thunderstorms at Tan Son Nhat were affecting operations. While specific affected flights were not listed, the airline stated that flights to and from the airport might experience holding patterns or schedule adjustments depending on weather developments. The airline continuously updated passengers and modified its operational plans to ensure safety.

Ho Chi Minh City has experienced continuous heavy rainfall in recent days. On the afternoon of 30/9, adverse weather also disrupted operations at Tan Son Nhat. A total of 25 flights had to hold, including six within the Tan Son Nhat approach control area and 18 within Ho Chi Minh City airspace. One other flight had to divert and land at Can Tho. This situation continued to cause a ripple effect, leading to delays for many other flights.

Outside the airport, heavy rain caused flooding and traffic congestion on many roads, as it coincided with rush hour. On Pham Van Dong and Truong Chinh roads, leading to Tan Son Nhat, traffic jams stretched for over three kilometers, while other areas like Thao Dien and Go Vap market also experienced severe flooding.

By Giang Anh