Aviation looks to enter “new normal”

Airlines resume many domestic routes from October 10. (Photo: Vietnamplus)

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s vaccination campaign has made rapid progress and the pandemic has been largely controlled in many countries and territories around the world, with a number of airlines proposing that flights resume.

“Vaccine passports” are considered the safest way to reconnect trade and take all socio-economic activities into the “new normal”.

Opportunities to welcome international arrivals

Choosing to live safely and flexibly with COVID-19, the Government has agreed to a set of criteria for the recognition and use of vaccine passports, also called health green cards or digital health certificates, from many countries and territories, as proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This is considered a solution to gradually reopening the economy, especially the service and tourism sectors.

As COVID-19 is gradually brought under control, airlines have restarted many domestic routes to meet demand from passengers while promoting socio-economic and tourism development.

For example, as of October 10, Vietnam Airlines planned to restore seven domestic routes; Vietjet Air reopened seven routes; and Bamboo Airways was to carry out operational plans after being officially licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

Aircraft at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. (Photo: Vietnamplus)

According to regulations introduced by authorities, passengers must comply with the “5K message”, complete a medical declaration, obtain a certificate stating they have received a full dose of COVID-19 vaccines at least 14 days and no more than 12 months before the date of departure, or have a certificate of recovery from COVID-19 no more than six months before the date of departure.

In particular, passengers departing from an area assessed as at a “very high risk, corresponding to red (level 4)” must have tested negative to SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR or rapid antigen test within 72 hours of departure time.

Le Ngoc Khanh, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, welcomed the plan to reopen domestic routes to Con Dao Airport, which will meet the travel demand of people and tourists, and gradually reopen trade and recover the economy while ensuring safe and flexible adaptation to the pandemic.

Khanh said that the province has piloted a program to welcome tourists at Six Senses Con Dao Resort from October 15 and proposed the Civil Aviation Administration reopen domestic flights to Con Dao.

Khanh Hoa province has also signed a decision to issue a plan to welcome tourists while ensuring pandemic prevention and control efforts.

Deputy Director of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Vo Huy Cuong, said Khanh Hoa’s agreement to reopen domestic routes is an opportunity to assess local pandemic prevention and medical capacity, creating a foundation for reopening international routes to the locality, even before Phu Quoc Island.

If Khanh Hoa can reopen international flights, a large number of tourists will visit the province.

Aviation industry striving to rebound

In recent times, Vietnam Airlines has successfully conducted flights under a pilot seven-day quarantine policy for fully-vaccinated entrants coming to Vietnam. Two flights were from Japan and France, landing at Van Don Airport.

The national flag carrier has actively applied IATA Travel Pass and is cooperating with relevant bodies such as the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Information and Communications to comply with regulations from the Government and provide convenient travel solutions to passengers.

Deputy General Director of Bamboo Airways, Truong Phuong Thanh, said that vaccine passports are considered a solid foundation to re-establish tourism activities and economic sectors in Vietnam. Their introduction is also an ideal and practical way to reopen tourism and people-to-people exchanges between countries and territories./.