On the afternoon of December 9, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh chaired a meeting to discuss the plan to restore international commercial flights from December 15 as proposed by the Ministry of Transport.

Accordingly, the transport industry proposed two pilot phases to restore regular commercial flights carrying international passengers into Vietnam.

International flights during this time will return to two international airports: Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat.

Phase 2 will be implemented within one month from the end of phase one, expected from January 2022.

In addition to the 9 markets mentioned above, the Ministry of Transport proposes to open additional routes to/from Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Paris, Frankfurt, Sydney, and Moscow.

The frequency is expected to increase to 7 flights/week/way for each side (expected total number of visitors entering Vietnam is about 40,000 people/week).

Airplanes at Tan Son Nhat airport.

After the pilot phase of restoring international routes, the Ministry of Transport will summarize and evaluate to advise on the restoration of regular international flight operations as before.

In the context of Vietnam having a high vaccination rate and focusing on controlling the number of serious illnesses and deaths, opinions expressed at meetings of ministry leaders emphasized the importance and endorsed the policy of reopening the road.

According to Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen, the rate of first-dose Covid-19 vaccination for people aged 18 and older has reached 97%, and the second dose is about 70%.

According to Mr. Tuyen, the need to return home is great for Vietnamese workers whose contracts have expired, pupils, students, and business travelers stuck abroad;

Leaders of all ministries emphasized the need for new guidance on quarantine and health monitoring for people entering Vietnam.

A representative of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that since piloting flights to welcome international tourists, there have been 1,179 tourists coming to Vietnam, and so far no positive cases have been detected.

Leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defense emphasized that the reopening of international commercial routes requires careful, fundamental and methodical preparation to both create conditions for negotiations with countries on the principle of going forward.

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said that the restoration of international commercial flights `is a practical requirement in the new normal situation, especially with increased travel demand at the end of the year.`

This is just the pilot phase, so Vietnam should choose a number of countries and territories with high safety factors and implement it on a reciprocal basis.

The Deputy Prime Minister also requested that there be a unique medical declaration software applicable to people entering the country to facilitate disease control, as well as facilitate people entering the country;

From the end of March 2020 until now, all international flights from Vietnam are allowed to carry passengers and goods. Inbound flights to Vietnam are only allowed to carry goods.

Yesterday (December 8), Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam requested the Ministry of Health to soon issue instructions, which stipulates that people entering the country have received two doses of vaccine, have negative test results, and only self-isolate.

Write Tuan