SINGAPORE – Three management officials from Vietnam Airlines, stationed in Singapore, are set to face trial for allegedly accepting bribes in connection with excess baggage fees. The identities of the accused, as reported by The Straits Times, include Lâm Anh Việt, the branch manager of Vietnam Airlines in Singapore, along with his subordinates, Trương Thị Nhung and Lê Trác Tuấn.

In addition to the three Vietnamese defendants, two accomplices from Singapore, Amir Khan Shoul Hamid and Poh Boon Leong, are also implicated in the case. The Singaporean defendants, who are airport operations supervisors, are accused of receiving at least hundreds of Singapore dollars (approximately $77) each time from Nhung.

The alleged bribery activities took place between November 2020 and June 2022. Tuấn, also an airport operations supervisor, is accused of receiving thousands of Singapore dollars each time from Nhung, who faces five counts of illicit profit-making.

Lâm Anh Việt, 52, is reported to have received a bribe of 3,000 Singapore dollars (about $2,321) from Tuấn to avoid reporting the incident to Vietnam Airlines' leadership in Vietnam. Việt is also facing a charge of illicit profit-making.

This case was announced by the Singapore Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau. The five defendants are expected to appear in court on August 20.

As of the evening of July 23, there have been no reports from Vietnamese media regarding this incident. According to industry insiders, the actions of the accused are described in aviation slang as "baggage kicking," which refers to airline officials colluding to pocket excess baggage fees from customers for personal gain.

According to CNA, the defendants charged with accepting or offering bribes could face up to five years in prison and fines of up to 100,000 Singapore dollars (approximately $77,374).

An internal report on Vietnam Airlines' website from mid-April last year indicated that Lâm Anh Việt was allowed to continue his role as branch manager in Singapore until further notice.