In a recentreport submitted to the Prime Minister, the MoT proposed the resumption becarried out in two phases.
The firstphase will last for two weeks, starting on December 15, during which regularflights between Vietnam and the destinations with high safety will be conducted,namely Beijing (China), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (the Republic of Korea), Taipei (Taiwan,China), Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore, Vientiane (Laos), Phnom Penh (Cambodia),and San Francisco or Los Angeles (the US).
The flightsin this phase will connect with the international airports of Noi Bai in Hanoiand Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City. There will be four flights per week onevery way for each side. About 14,000 passengers are expected to come toVietnam every week.
Meanwhile,the second phase will last for one month after the first one concludes,starting in January 2022.
Apart fromthe nine abovementioned destinations, the MoT proposed flights linking with KualaLumpur (Malaysia), Hong Kong (China), Paris (France), Frankfurt (Germany),Sydney (Australia), and Moscow (Russia).
The internationalairports of Da Nang, Cam Ranh, Phu Quoc, and Van Don are also proposed to host those flights in the second phase, aside from Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat. The frequency will be raised to seven flights per week on every way for eachside. The weekly number of passengers entering Vietnam is estimated at some40,000.
The MoT said to ensurethe plan’s feasibility, it is necessary to gradually lift quarantine rules onpassengers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, recovered fromthe disease, and have a negative result of rapid antigen or RT-PCR tests within72 hours prior to their flights.
In addition, the resumption ofinternational flights can only be carried out basing the reciprocity principle andmutual recognition of the “vaccine passport”.
The ministrysaid Vietnam has not issued any regulations on halting or restricting regularinternational flights to and from the country. However, amid the COVID-19pandemic, people boarding flights to Vietnam have had to meet pandemic controlrules.
Itcited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying that Vietnamese citizens’demand for returning to the homeland is now on the rise, especially when theNew Year and Lunar New Year holidays are coming. Besides, there is also a largenumber of foreigners planning to go to the country for work, investment,business, and tourism purposes.
Given this, it isnecessary to resume regular international flights carrying passengers toVietnam, according to the MoT./.