Last week, during the Lunar New Year celebrations according to the lunar calendar, two separate incidents involving drones near Da Nang airport led to significant disruptions in air travel. Reports from the newspaper 'Thanh Nien' indicated that drones were spotted dangerously close to aircraft, forcing some to circle while awaiting clearance to land. A total of 54 flights experienced delays due to these drone incursions, highlighting the serious impacts of unauthorized drone operations.

Authorities remain puzzled regarding the operators of the drones and just how close they came to the planes. The airport officials in Da Nang have yet to respond to inquiries from the AFP news agency concerning these events. The Vietnamese government maintains strict regulations against the operation of private drones, especially around airports, to ensure safety in the increasingly busy airspace, particularly with Da Nang being a major aviation hub in central Vietnam.

Da Nang airport handles over 300 flights daily during peak season, particularly during festivities like the Lunar New Year. The repeated incidents underline the challenges posed by unauthorized drone activity and the need for effective enforcement of existing regulations to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Such disruptions not only affect travel schedules but can also pose serious safety risks for both passengers and airline operations.