(NLDO)- During the peak days of Tet, the amount of goods doubled, the Domestic Cargo Service team at Tan Son Nhat airport divided into shifts to work continuously 24/7.
Working through the night at the "hot spot" Tan Son Nhat
On the evening of the 28th of Tet, Mr. Le Duc Toan, Captain of the Cargo Service Team, Cargo Trade Department, Vietnam - Vietnam Airlines Branch, finished his shift at Tan Son Nhat Airport (HCMC), leaving the airport at 12 midnight. He said that some of his colleagues stayed on duty until 4 am before being able to go home.
The urgent working atmosphere at 5:00 a.m. on January 25, 2025. Photo: Duc Toan
During the peak days of Tet, the Tan Son Nhat Airport Domestic Cargo Service Team consists of 27 people divided into 3 shifts working 24/7. Together with 70-80 loading and unloading staff, the team serves all cargo arriving and departing from Tan Son Nhat Airport of Vietnam Airlines.
At the "hot spot" Tan Son Nhat, the peak of cargo through the airport during Tet usually occurs before the peak of passengers and lasts longer. Since the 19th of the 12th lunar month, the volume of cargo has increased.
The volume of goods during Tet doubled compared to normal days, even increasing by 220%. Although there are no exact figures yet, according to Mr. Toan, the peak of Tet this year, the volume of goods increased by about 30% compared to last year.
Anticipating the peak of Tet, every year Vietnam Airlines always plans in advance and the Cargo Service team is always ready to work at full capacity to serve people and businesses during the peak of Tet.
Normally, each officer and employee of the Cargo Service team has two days off a week, but during the peak of Tet, they will work six days a week. "Although they have one day off, they still have to be online continuously so that any unusual incidents can be handled immediately," said Mr. Toan.
Working continuously before, during and after Tet, and having to stay on duty on New Year's Eve for many years, Mr. Toan said that these days his wife takes care of the housework so he can work with peace of mind.
"After more than 20 years working in the aviation industry, my family also sympathizes. These days, we work hard but we all try our best to serve and cannot let any safety or security incidents happen. All of our team members have many years of experience and work very carefully. Although the workload has increased, we absolutely cannot let any safety or security incidents happen. Aviation is a special business, and security and safety issues are always put as the number one criteria by Vietnam Airlines," Toan shared.
Special items for Tet
For those who are not used to working in the aviation industry, the peak of Tet will feel "overwhelmed" because the days near Tet, seafood sales increase dramatically. And from the 22nd to the 24th of the 12th lunar month, apricot, peach, and kumquat trees line up to wait for flights.
Regarding seafood products, Mr. Toan said that we must pay attention to ensure the safety of the plane when transporting them. Seafood often contains water, so we must pay attention to the packaging of the equipment and arrange it to ensure that no water leaks onto the plane. Regarding apricot, peach and kumquat products, we must pay attention to the packaging to ensure the fastest transportation and that the quality of the goods is not reduced when they arrive, and that the branches, flowers and leaves are not lost, to ensure that they reach the consumer with the best quality to enjoy Tet. Vietnam Airlines has its own regulations to ensure the quality of service for these special products.
Near Tet, seafood shipments by plane increased dramatically. Photo: Duc Toan
During the peak Tet holiday, Tan Son Nhat Domestic Cargo Service team mobilizes full capacity, working with the highest productivity.
The team's job is to receive and transport domestic goods, from Tan Son Nhat to all Vietnam Airlines destinations. Specifically, they will receive goods from customers, then guide customers to put the goods through the security scanner of aviation security. Goods on planes must be 100% screened to ensure safety. In the warehouse, they will classify the goods, load them onto the equipment to be transported onto the plane. If the goods arrive outside the plane and there are problems, such as a wrong flight, the team will come out to handle it.
Apricot flowers waiting to fly at Tan Son Nhat. Photo: Duc Toan
Apricot flowers waiting to fly at Tan Son Nhat. Photo: Duc Toan
Each 8-hour shift, in the Cargo Service team, there will be 6 to 8 office workers and 30 stevedores working. Each shift lasts 8 hours and there is a half-hour break in between shifts. The brothers take turns taking breaks to keep the work going.
On New Year's Eve, the number of people on duty depends on the amount of goods. Normally, the New Year's Eve shift for domestic goods is about 2 people, and for international goods it is 4-5 people.
"Every Tet holiday, we have a peak work schedule, not much time for family, sometimes we are tired. However, we are also used to the pressure. Tan Son Nhat is like a "fire pan" every Tet holiday, but "fire tests gold, hardship tests strength". We understand the nature of the job and always try our best. Being attached to the aviation industry for more than 20 years is also thanks to our love for the aviation industry" - Mr. Toan shared.
Tet peak season with international flights
Ms. Tran Linh Giang, policy specialist, Passenger Trade Policy Team, Vietnam Branch - Vietnam Airlines, said that with the transportation of goods during the peak Tet holiday, because factories take advantage of the time to export goods before Tet so that workers can take Tet holiday, there is a lot of export goods.
"In addition to having to calculate the load carefully, we also have to ensure that we limit the amount of offloaded goods on flights. Because there are many goods, there are also many irregularities (goods arriving late due to traffic jams/goods not being able to clear customs in time/goods being lost/damaged...), so our team must always be on duty at the office and on the phone 24/7 to ensure the best service quality during peak season..." - Ms. Giang said.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/nhung-nguoi-phuc-vu-mat-hang-dac-biet-di-may-bay-ngay-tet-196250128205333987.htm
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