The Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City has become crowded these days as families and relatives come to pick up overseas Vietnamese, who return home for the Lunar New Year 2019, which will fall early next month.

The pick-up zone at the international terminal of Tan Son Nhat was so jammed at midday on Tuesday that the airport management had to strengthen security forces to prevent jostling, according to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper’s reporters.

The congestion was caused by dozens of family members, who showed up to greet overseas Vietnamese, or Viet Kieu, coming home to celebrate the Tet holiday.

A security officer oversees a crowd of people waiting for overseas Vietnamese relatives at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on January 22, 2019. Photo: Cong Trung / Tuoi Tre

According to a representative of Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the number of people picking up overseas Vietnamese relatives at the airport has been notably on the increase since January 16.

They are to blame for the busy scene at the airport as each group of around ten people waiting at the airport on Tuesday was apparently to welcome only one overseas Vietnamese, making the venue almost occupied with no vacancy left.

A crowd of people wait for overseas Vietnamese relatives at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on January 22, 2019. Photo: Cong Trung / Tuoi Tre

Truck cranes were even moved to the airport to handle cases of wrong and overdue car parking as three-minute parking time in front of the arrival terminal had been recommended.

However, disorganization and chaos, which were expected, did not happen.

Meanwhile, airlines also had to transfer personnel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to support passenger service as the southern-based airport appeared to be more crowded, according to Dang Tuan Tu, director of Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

A crowd of people wait for overseas Vietnamese relatives at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on January 22, 2019. Photo: Cong Trung / Tuoi Tre

A crowd of people wait for overseas Vietnamese relatives at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on January 22, 2019. Photo: Cong Trung / Tuoi Tre

A truck crane is moved to Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on January 22, 2019. Photo: Cong Trung / Tuoi Tre

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