Vietnam is ready to reopen international air routes.

The Ministry of Transport has sent a document to Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, referring to the difficulties in reopening international commercial air routes carrying regular passengers to Vietnam.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Finance has not issued instructions to the agencies to collect tolls from passengers entering Vietnam.

Ministries, agencies and the local People's Committees, businesses, hotels and factories have not had a process to manage and supervise people who are allowed to enter Vietnam. There are no criteria for those who are from a third country in transit at six places with regular international commercial flights to Vietnam.

The Ministry of Health has not issued guidelines for medical isolation for passengers from commercial flights. The Ministry of Health is finalizing plans and procedures for medical testing and isolation for groups of subjects permitted to enter Vietnam.

In addition, localities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, need to widely publicize accommodation facilities (hotels) to serve the isolation and total capacity of the quarantine areas.

The aviation authorities of the four countries and territories, South Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan (China), have asked Vietnam to clarify the immigration, isolation and medical requirements, and accommodation facilities. The Ministry of Transport has assigned the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to work with the aviation authorities of the countries and territories mentioned.

The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam will direct airlines to regularly transport international passengers to Vietnam starting from September 21.

To ensure a strict and safe process when reopening commercial flights, the Ministry of Transport proposed setting up a team to manage and supervise the people who enter Vietnam and bring them to the quarantine area.

At the same time, it is proposed that the Government assign the Minister of Health to be the leader of that team, which will have officials of the Ministries of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Transport and other relevant ministries, and the People's Committees of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho City.

The Ministry of Transport also requested that Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, and the National Steering Committee to direct the Ministry of Health to urgently develop a guide for monitoring and testing for SARS-CoV-2 for people entering Vietnam in the new situation, with the resumption of international commercial flights between Vietnam and its partners that has been approved by the Prime Minister.

The Ministry of Health also urgently needs to develop plans for organizing the reception, isolation, sampling and testing of Covid-19 at airports suitable for groups of people who enter Vietnam.

The People's Committees of provinces and cities, the Departments of Health, and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of provinces and cities will inspect quarantine areas, take samples for testing, and conduct medical monitoring of those who enter Vietnam when reopening international commercial routes.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for assigning the embassy or representative agency of Vietnam abroad to inform passengers to Vietnam about the mandatory conditions. The Ministry of Public Security will direct the Immigration Police Agency to closely coordinate with CDCs of provinces and cities at airports in order to manage people entering Vietnam.

The Ministry of Finance shall coordinate with the Ministry of Health in early issuing instructions for localities and relevant agencies on the collection of quarantine fees for people entering Vietnam. Quarantine fees from people entering Vietnam will be collected under the guidance of the Ministry of Finance.

Vu Diep

Transport ministry prepares for resumption of international flights

The plan for the flights' resumption needs to be approved by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, chair of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Plan to resume international flights postponed, awaiting complete COVID-19 prevention protocols

Vietnam’s planned resumption of selected international flights on September 15 has been pushed back to an unconfirmed date as authorities continue to work on COVID-19 prevention measures.