The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) May 17 decided to impose a fine of VND15 million (US$725) on a Frenchman who hoaxed to have bomb in his handbag when boarding a Vietnam Airline aircraft at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on May 14.
Nguyen Trong Thang, Chief Inspector of CAAV, said the Southern Airport Authority will tell Mariano Francois Xavier Jean Agostini about the decision. Thang added the passenger was fined such amount as he joked when the plane had not take off or else the fine will range from VND20-30 million.
On the way to the plane to the central Da Nang City, a 27 year old Frenchman Agostini joked with a Vietnamese passenger that there was a bomb in his handbag.
While the two were talking to each other, another French passenger overheard Agostini’s conversation and immediately reported it to the flight crewmembers after everyone was seated on the plane.
The plane finally took off after a two and a half hour delay, at 15:15 hours.
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