Vietnam airport, vendors cite costs after $14 ‘pho’ complaint prompts review

The complaint, first reported by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, said a passenger from Hanoi bought the noodle soup at the airport’s domestic terminal late at night and later posted the receipt online, prompting debate on social media over airport pricing.

Authorities in Khanh Hoa Province said they were reviewing the incident in line with regulations.

Nguyen Duc Vu, branch manager of Autogrill VFS F&B Co. Ltd. at Cam Ranh International Airport, told Tuoi Tre that food sold at the airport must meet inspection requirements covering quality, food safety and origin.

He said airport businesses bear costs including rent, infrastructure, utilities and taxes, as well as expenses related to transporting goods into restricted areas and complying with security procedures.

Pham Thanh Son, chief executive of Cam Ranh International Terminal Joint Stock Company, said non-aviation service providers set their own prices but must comply with civil aviation regulations and declare and list prices in accordance with the rules.

Hung Nguyen, a public policy specialist, told Tuoi Tre limited retail space at airports and long-term concession contracts can reduce competition compared with city locations, contributing to higher prices.

A tax official in Khanh Hoa Province told the newspaper that tax collection for airport food and beverage businesses is generally similar to that applied outside airports and that enterprises must sell according to their declared prices.

Under a circular issued by the Ministry of Construction, prices at international terminals may be listed in U.S. dollars, the airport operator said, with payment subject to Vietnam’s foreign exchange regulations.

Cam Ranh International Airport is one of Vietnam’s busiest gateways, serving the south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, home to the resort hub of Nha Trang.