A Vietnam Airline aircraft at Noi Bai International Airport (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - For the first time in six months, Vietnam Airlines' first routine international commercial flight took off from Hanoi on September 19 morning, heading toJapan.
FlightVN310 marked thebeginning of the resumption of regular flights to a number of selectedcountries in Asia since planes were grounded back in March due to the COVID-19pandemic.
Onboardwere Vietnamese trainees, workers, and experts heading back to Tokyo tocontinue their studies and work after months of disruption.
Italso carried a number of Japanese citizens heading home.
All60 passengers boarding the Vietnam Airlines flight had to present amandatory proof of a negative coronavirus tests (PCR diagnostics) issuedthree days before the flight, declare their travel history in the 14 days priorand download contract tracing apps as per health protocols set by the hostcountry.
Theflight crew will all undergo health examinations and be quarantined when theyreturned to Vietnam.
VietnamAirlines is set to organise two more flights from Hanoi to Tokyo on September 25 and 30, and onefrom HCM City to Tokyo on September 30.
Budgetcarrier Vietjet has also announced resumption of flights to Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan (China)starting September 29.
Internationalflights to and from Vietnam were grounded late March after the Governmentimposed border closures against all foreign entries.
Since then, Vietnameseairlines only carried out a number of irregular flights to repatriateVietnamese citizens overseas or bring in a limited number of foreigninvestors, highly skilled workers, experts, business managers, diplomats.
Recently, the Vietnamese Governmentdecided to reopen international flights to six Asian destinations – Japan, the RoK, mainland China, Taiwan (China),Cambodia, and Laos – all important partners and deemed to be epidemiologicallysafe, as the country aims to balance COVID-19 prevention with economicdevelopment./.
