Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s planned resumption of selected internationalflights on September 15 has been pushed back to anunconfirmed date as authorities continue to work on COVID-19prevention measures.
DeputyMinister of Transport Le Anh Tuan informed local media of the development on September 14 afterthe ministry proposed resuming international flights in two phases, withthe first starting on September 15 with flights to and from China, Japan,and the Republic of Korea, and the second starting on September 22 with flightsbetween Vietnam and Taiwan (China), Cambodia and Laos.
The sixdestinations in Asia are all important partners for Vietnam with hightwo-way transport demands, while the COVID-19 situation is considered to belargely under control.
The healthministry is still in the process of completing testing protocols and quarantineguidelines – including costs for paid quarantine cases – for eligible entriesinto Vietnam and further discussions are needed before a plan is submitted tothe National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control for reviewon September 17.
The detailedplan for flights will be approved by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Chairmanof the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, andDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh.
Vietnamofficially stopped international entries on March 22 due to thepandemic and is now maintaining a strict 14-day quarantine period for allforeign entries.
Ata cabinet meeting on September 11, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc orderedthe transport ministry to work with airlines to consider reopeningcommercial flights to certain destinations in Asia with separate flightsfor those entering Vietnam after stopovers in these destinations.
Ministrieswere asked to decide on priority groups when Vietnam reopened its airborders, along with other issues such as relief plans for internationalairports, management of foreign entries, testing regimes, and other COVID-19prevention and control measures.
Meanwhile,flights repatriating Vietnamese citizens from overseas and bringing foreigninvestors, experts and managers into Vietnam should be increased,the Government leader ordered.
Provincialand municipal authorities were asked to co-operate with the transport ministryand finance ministry on paid quarantine.
Hanoi, Ho ChiMinh City and Can Tho city and adjacent localities were instructed toprepare hotels used as paid quarantine facilities for a higher number ofarrivals when routine commercial flights resume.
The defenceministry would continue to accommodate quarantine demands in centralisedfacilities, PM Phuc said.
Nationalflag carrier Vietnam Airlines announced it would be resuming one-wayflights from Vietnam to Japan starting September 18, mainly aimedat transporting Vietnamese citizens for study or work, but flightsfrom Japan would remain closed awaiting Government decisions.
BambooAirways said it was already preparing to reopen commercial flightsto Taiwan and the Republic of Korea in September-October this year,flights to Japan, Singapore and Australia in the fourth quarter of thisyear, and flights to Germany and the UK in the first quarter of 2021.
The carriersaid it was also working with authorities to complete procedures andprepare for the resumption of other routine flights out of Vietnam once thepandemic was under control globally.
Budgetcarrier Vietjet praised the health ministry’s plan to enhance Vietnam’sCOVID-19 testing strategy, including quick testing at airports, to reduce thenumber of people needing to be quarantined, which in turn would encourage morepeople to come to Vietnam./.
VNA
