Meeting discusses pilot resumption of commercial flights

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh chaired a nationwide teleconference on October 8 to discuss the resumption of domestic commercial flights.

At the event, a representative from the Transport Ministry presented a pilot plan to run 23 return flights a day, or 46 flights per day, from October 10-20, including 10 return flights between Ho Chi Minh City and localities, six others from Hanoi, four from Da Nang and three from Thanh Hoa.

Passengers must be fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 within the past six months, test for SARS-CoV-2 using RT-PRC or rapid antigen testing method within 72 hours, and fill out health declarations before boarding.

Several localities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Quang Binh and Thanh Hoa agreed with the pilot plan and offered specific proposals.

A representative from the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines said all of its staff have been given the first shot while all pilots and 80 percent of flight attendants have been fully vaccinated.

Deputy Health Minister Do Xuan Tuyen said during the pilot time, the frequency of each flight should be less than a half.

Deputy PM Thanh said the resumption of flights is necessary to gradually restore socio-economic development but also poses infection risks.

He asked localities nationwide to closely keep track of residents and passengers coming from pandemic-hit areas and absolutely prevent the outbreak of complex infection hotspots./.