In response to a question asked by reporters on Viva Macau's recent cancellation of a scheduled flight, Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Lau Si Io, said on Aug. 26 that the low cost airline has been asked to submit a report to Macau's Civil Aviation Authority.

A Vietnam-bound flight to Ho Chi Minh city that was intended to carry passengers that were unable to leave Macau on Aug. 22 due to Typhoon Nuri, was cancelled on Aug. 24.

"Some 120 passengers turned up at the Macau International Airport on Aug. 24 to find their flight to Vietnam had been cancelled," the Government Information Bureau reported on Aug. 26.

The Bureau said the government has asked the low-cost airline operator to explain why it had cancelled a flight without informing passengers.

"The Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Lau Si Io, said the Civil Aviation Authority had instructed the operator to submit a report and include suggestions on how to avoid a repeat of the incident," it said.

The secretary added that it was regrettable that the cancellation had brought inconvenience to passengers and the operator should explain and provide assistance to those affected.

However, Viva Macau's chief executive officer, Con Korfiatis told the Macau Daily Times on Aug. 26 that the company had attempted to alert all passengers while accommodation for those inconvenienced had been provided.

"Unfortunately some of our customers did not provide contact details when making their bookings and for those passengers we unfortunately were not able to make any contact with them until they came to the airport," he said.

The flight had been cancelled after a bird had caused damage to the aircraft on Aug. 23, Mr Korfiatis added.

In an open letter released earlier in the year, Viva Macau criticised the cancellation rate of incumbent local operator Air Macau, suggesting it cancels almost 200 flights per month, or 20 percent of its schedule.

In the same letter Viva Macau claimed it had achieved "one percent cancellation rate" last year.