Sleeping pods are placed in he third floor of T1 at the International Noi Bai Airport on July 22. — Photo VATC

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam (CAAV) has suspended the first-ever sleep pod service at Noi Bai International Airport.

CAAV told Biz Hub that it sent the suspension order to all concerned parties on July 25, three days after the pods were launched at the airport.

CAAV deputy director Vo Huy Cuong told local media that the decision was taken after the people voiced concerns that the service may take advantage of the current high rate of flight delays in Viet Nam.

Cuong said the service was launched at an inappropriate time and its suspension would allow the development of an improved operational plan. He confirmed that the service has not been permanently shelved, adding that it would give the people more time to get used to it.

According to Cuong, CAAV found that the installation of the pods on the third floor of T1 in the airport - where offices and airlines offices are located - did not occupy passenger space, about which some local media had expressed concern.

In addition, there is no hotel inside the airport area to serve transit passengers yet, so the sleep pods are necessary.

On July 22, the Viet Nam Airlines Tourism Company launched 14 sleep pods, each four square metres in area and three metres high, at the airport to offer fully equipped private space for passengers.

They also offered pods on rent on hourly, half-day or daily basis at rates between VND210,000 (US$10) and VND1.8 million (US$85).

The Noi Bai Airport was the first airport in Viet Nam to install such pods. — VNS