In the first phase, the flights, once a week, would be used to carry Vietnamese citizens home under the plan to be built by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. CAAV proposed appointing Vietnam Airlines as the only carrier to provide flights in that period.

After considering geographical conditions, the quarantine allocation capacity, the similarities of departure/arrival points (capital cities, main gateway points, the secondary points), CAAV proposed opening air routes of Guangzhou (China) - Da Nang; Tokyo (Japan) - Hanoi; Seoul (South Korea) - Hanoi; Taipei (Taiwan - China) – HCM City; Vientiane (Laos) - Quang Ninh; and Phnom Penh (Cambodia) - Can Tho.

It is expected that the first routine flights would be implemented by early August.

Passengers must show valid visas when checking in and must be put into quarantine in accordance with regulations on epidemic prevention and control.

As such, it is expected that 2,500-3,000 passengers would be brought to Vietnam on routine flights, excluding flights to be implemented to rescue citizens and chartered flights that carry specialists from different points in the world to Vietnam.

Airlines have not made official announcements about resuming international air routes as they are still awaiting decisions from the government and Ministry of Transport.

Airlines have not made official announcements about resuming international air routes as they are still awaiting decisions from the government and Ministry of Transport.

However, representatives of the air carriers affirmed that they are ready to fly internationally, ensuring compliance with the regulations on epidemic prevention.

Nguyen Quang Trung from Vietnam Airlines, said the air carrier is ready to reopen international air routes when it gets the nod from the watchdog agency.

The national air flag carrier has been providing routine flights from Hanoi/HCM City to Seoul one way since June and July (5 flights a week in June and 14 flights a week in July).

Vietnam Airlines is ready to fly to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korean
and ASEAN countries as soon as the government allows resumption of the air routes. It has also prepared plans to fly to Europe in 2020 and to the US in 2021.

Bamboo Airways has affirmed that it is ready to resume international flights soon after it gets permission. The destinations the carrier targets includes mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea; Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Europe (Czech and Germany) and North America.

In related news, Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung has agreed with MOT to not grant licenses to new airlines from now to the end of 2021.

Thanh Lich 

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