A Vietnam Airlines aircraft on the runway at an airport in Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Quốc Khánh

HÀ NỘI — A number of Vietnam Airlines flights have been disrupted by Typhoon Bavi, which is affecting Taiwan (China), prompting the carrier to adjust its flight schedule on Friday and Saturday to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.

The national flag carrier has cancelled the following services: Flight VN578 from Hà Nội to Taipei on July 10; VN579 from Taipei to Hà Nội on July 10; VN570 from HCM City to Taipei on July 11; and VN571 from Taipei to HCM City on July 11.

Vietnam Airlines has also revised the schedules of several other flights.

Flight VN586 from Hà Nội to Kaohsiung and VN580 from HCM City to Kaohsiung, both on July 10, will depart one hour earlier than scheduled.

Meanwhile, return services VN587 from Kaohsiung to Hà Nội and VN581 from Kaohsiung to HCM City, originally scheduled for July 11, have been brought forward to July 10.

To accommodate passengers affected by the disruptions, the airline plans to deploy wide-body Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft on routes between Việt Nam and Taipei in Taiwan (China) on July 11 and 12, increasing capacity to meet travel demand.

The airline also warned that adverse weather conditions could affect flights to and from Japan, South Korea and mainland China, as operational schedules may need to be adjusted.

If flight schedules have to be changed due to severe weather, Vietnam Airlines sincerely appreciates passengers' understanding and cooperation, a Vietnam Airlines representative said.

“We also urge passengers to follow all instructions from cabin crew, particularly by keeping their seat belts securely fastened whenever the seat belt sign is illuminated and throughout the flight when advised," the representative said.

Vietnam Airlines has advised passengers travelling to or from the affected airports to closely monitor weather developments and check the latest flight information via the airline's official website and its Facebook page.

The National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting said at 7am on Friday Typhoon Bavi was centred about 650km southeast of Taiwan (China) and approximately 1,000km southeast of Fujian Province, mainland China.

The storm's maximum sustained winds reached 166km per hour, equivalent to Level 14 on Việt Nam's wind scale, with gusts up to Level 16. Compared with the previous day, Bavi had weakened by two levels and was no longer classified as a super typhoon.

Over the next 24 hours, the typhoon is forecast to move northwest at around 25km per hour while continuing to weaken. — VNS