All passengers would have to present negative test results for Covid-19 within 72 hours before departure.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has submitted to the Ministry of Transport the draft plan to restore domestic air transport operations to safely adapt to the situation of Covid-19 epidemic control in the country.

Accordingly, airlines are allowed to actively organize air transportation activities under this plan. When regulations on social distancing in localities are changed, their operations will be changed accordingly. The plan also creates more favorable conditions for the transport of medical workers and frontline forces, gradually meeting demand for air travel.

In order to resume air transport activities, all flight crews and airline staff must get at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine and the flight crew must be tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 within 72 hours before flying. Passengers must also have negative test results for SARS-CoV-2 within 72 hours before their flight.

The plan is divided into three phases:

Phase 1: To be piloted within two weeks after the plan is issued. The passengers will be people on duty, the frontline forces against the Covid-19 pandemic and those who are transported under agreements between the authorities of the departure and arrival locations. Those who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (with two doses) with the second shot given within at least 14 days and not more than 12 months before departure and those who are certified for recovery from Covid-19 not more than 12 months before departure are also allowed to fly.

Phase 2: To be implemented in the two weeks after the first phase. The subjects are similar to those in the first phase. The people who are certified for recovery from Covid-19 not more than six months before departure and those who are certified to reside in the areas not under social distancing in accordance with Directive 16 for a minimum of 14 days are also allowed to fly.

Phase 3: To be implemented after the second phase (if the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam does not issue new regulations). No restrictions on the subjects of transportation.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said it would consider banning and transferring to the police passengers who use fake travel documents to fly.

For air carriers, the air routes and flight frequency should be:

Phase 1: Flight frequency on each route for each airline will not exceed 50% compared to the first week of April 2021;

Phase 2: Flight frequency on each route for each airline will not exceed 70% compared to the first week of April 2021;

Phase 3: Flight frequency on each route for each airline will not exceed the flight frequency in the first week of April 2021 and is exploited according to the needs of the airline when all localities in Vietnam remove social distancing measures under the Prime Minister’s Directive 16.

In addition to the above regulations, according to the Civil Aviation Administration, for all stages, new routes of each airline or air routes of each airline with one flight per day in the first week of April 2021 are allowed to operate with one trip per day and can operate on demand when all localities completely lift social distancing measures in accordance with Directive 16.

The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam stipulates that airlines are allowed to organize the sale and operation of domestic routes on the basis of slots confirmed by the agency. Airlines are only allowed to open ticket sales in phase one for flights with departure date within two weeks from the day the plan is issued by the Ministry of Transport and phase two for flights with departure date within two weeks.

If airlines do not operate in accordance with the approved plan, they will be stopped from operating all domestic routes within one week.

After being signed by the Ministry of Transport, this plan will be applied immediately and all dispatches issued before will be canceled.

Ngoc Ha