Taiwanese family receive apology after boarding pass tearing incident at Phu Quoc airport

However, she affirmed that she would not remove her social media post about the incident.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, when the Taiwanese woman, who requested anonymity, and her family of four, including two small children, were preparing to depart Phu Quoc Island after a six-day vacation.

Boarding pass torn without explanation

Speaking with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, the female tourist explained that upon entering Vietnam for their vacation on Phu Quoc Island, her family of four completed immigration procedures together without being separated, and everything went smoothly.

However, during their departure, the family encountered an unexpected and stressful situation at the airport when an immigration officer requested that each member complete exit procedures individually, rather than as a family.

"One of our children was unwell," she recounted.

"My husband was carrying the child while I was holding the other at that time.

"So I asked the officer if we could proceed two at a time, and he agreed.

"I then stepped back to queue as instructed."

However, when her husband began the exit procedures, the officer refused to process their documents and directed them to wait in a separate line.

When she inquired about the reason, the officer replied that there was none.

As they waited and observed other lines moving, she asked the officer if her family could proceed.

Suddenly, the officer seized her passport and boarding passes from her hands, tearing up her daughter's boarding pass in front of them.

He then stepped out from behind the counter and shouted in the hall, "Don't expect to go home today," she recounted, adding that she felt shocked and confused by the incident.

Feeling unfairly treated, she chose not to argue further and immediately contacted their tour guide.

With the guide's timely assistance, the boarding passes were reissued, and her family successfully completed the exit procedures.

Netizens' strong reactions

Later that day, she shared her experience on the social media platform Threads, where the post garnered significant attention and led to coverage by Taiwanese media.

Many internet users in Taiwan criticized the airport immigration officer's actions, calling them – if proven true – an abuse of power, unprofessional, and inappropriate.

Many Taiwanese viewers of the post expressed indignation, suggesting this was a disguised form of extortion that severely damages Vietnam's tourism image.

Some opinions suggested that a misunderstanding might have occurred, leading to the immigration officer tearing up the boarding pass and escalating the situation.

While most individuals showed sympathy for the tourist's family, others suggested that the behavior of both parties involved should be reconsidered.

Many readers of Tuoi Tre commented that this incident must be handled appropriately to protect the image of the Vietnamese tourism sector.

Apology received, thanks given, but post remains

On May 14, a day after the incident, representatives from the airport's immigration office, through the relevant tour company, issued an apology to the Taiwanese family, the female tourist told Tuoi Tre.

The woman said she acknowledged the apology but chose not to remove her social media post.

"They wanted to apologize and asked me how I would like the matter to be resolved. I replied that I had received their apology, but I would not delete the post," she stated.

According to a source of Tuoi Tre, the immigration officer involved has extended his apologies to the Taiwanese family but has not yet received a reply.

Despite this controversial incident, the female tourist affirmed that her trip to Phu Quoc was overall very enjoyable.

She expressed particular satisfaction and gratitude for the services provided by the travel company and the tour guide, who offered dedicated assistance to her family during the incident.

Phu Quoc has been and continues to be a renowned tourist destination, attracting numerous domestic and international visitors.

Since the beginning of 2025, the island has welcomed over two million visitors, including more than 500,000 international tourists, most of whom came from South Korea, mainland China, India, and Taiwan, according to statistics.