
Hanoi (VNA) - TheMinistry of Transport has agreed to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam’sproposal to limit domestic flights from Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City toother cities and provinces to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
Domestic airlines are allowedto transport passengers with a frequency of one flight a day on certain routes,including Hanoi-HCM City and vice versa, Hanoi-Da Nang, Hanoi-Phu Quoc and viceversa; HCM City-Da Nang, HCM City-Phu Quoc and vice versa.
The instruction, issued late onMarch 29, is effective from midnight March 30 to April 15.
“In special cases when there isa need to transport passengers from local airports to Hanoi and HCM City andvice versa, airlines may ask the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam’spermission in each specific case,” the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the CAAV has askedVietnamese airlines to refund, change itinerary and extend flight validity foraffected passengers without collecting any extra fees.
The ministry also asked airlinesto strictly adhere to the Ministry of Health’s regulations on the isolation offoreign flight crews and mandatory electronic health declarations by passengersbefore boarding, as well as other preventive measures.
National flag carrier VietnamAirlines has announced it will reduce the frequency of domestic flights betweennow and April 15 in compliance with the Prime Minister’s Directive to fightCOVID-19.
From March 28, the carrier willcut its 35 domestic routes to eight with about 10 per cent of total seatscompared to normal plans. It will also help affected passengers change flightsand itinerary or have their tickets refunded.
Crew members on all of itsflights will be equipped with protective gears and tested for COVID-19.
Earlier on March 19, VietnamAirlines suspended international flights until April 30.
Following Vietnam Airlines,Bamboo Airways has announced it will reduce passenger transport services.
From March 28 to April 15,Bamboo Airways decided to make temporary adjustments for both regular flightsand charter flights, including reducing the frequency of domestic flights andapplying stringent medical standards on all flights.
The airline will suspendcharter flights from abroad during the next two weeks. One-way flightsdeparting Vietnam (the return flight being empty) may still be considered withauthorities’ permission./.