Thirty-five Vietnamese citizens, mainly students, have been stranded while transiting at Changi Airport due to unannounced flight cancellations by Singapore Airlines.

At the Changi Airport (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

They are scheduled to leave Singapore for Ho Chi Minh City on flight SQ178 on March 23 morning. However, Singapore Airlines cancelled the flight, leaving the passengers to manage by themselves.

Right after receiving this information, the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore sent a diplomatic note asking Singapore Airlines to take appropriate measures to ensure the rights of the Vietnamese citizens, said Ambassador Tao Thi Thanh Huong.

Huong added that the embassy made contact with the management board of the Changi Airport, proposing it to assist the Vietnamese citizens while waiting for a new flight, as well as relevant agencies in Vietnam to arrange the reception of the citizens.

According to the ambassador, Singapore Airlines on late March 23 pledged to take the Vietnamese citizens to Hanoi on March 24 morning on its flight, and pay for part of their meals while waiting at the airport.

The embassy will continue implementing citizen protection measures so that they can come back home at the earliest time, Huong said.

To date, no Vietnamese in Singapore have been infected with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
The Singaporean government earlier announced that all short-term visitors will no longer be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore from 11:59 pm on March 23 in view of the growing risks of importing coronavirus cases into the country.