Drivers who ignored a sign saying they are only allowed to halt no more than three minutes for passenger pick-up and drop-off in front of terminals in Tan Son Nhat International Airport have been dealt a tough hand.

While ‘no parking’ signs are erected along the street in front of the terminals inside the airport, the regulation has been relaxed, with drivers now given three minutes of stopping there for picking up passengers or dropping them off.

“The regulation aims to help reduce congestion at the airport during this peak time of Lunar New Year, or Tet,” said Pham Le Lam, deputy head of the inspectorate of the Ho Chi Minh City transport department.

Drivers who breach the three-minute limit will be subject to a VND350,000 (US$15.5) fine. Any vehicles found without the driver inside will be deemed illegal parking, thus receiving a fine of VND700,000 ($31).

In 2017, transport inspectors detected and slapped a total fine of VND587.5 million ($25,900) on 903 vehicles offending these regulations, according to the transport department.

During this Tet travel rush, Tan Son Nhat, already the country’s busiest airport, has to serve an even bigger number of passengers.

People are thus advised to get on and off their vehicles as quickly as possible to help clear the way for others to use.

Tet, or the Lunar New Year, falls on February 16, and celebrations are normally ongoing during the week before and after the date.