Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport should resume domestic, two-way flights on Tuesday after weeks of suspension in an effort to curb the coronavirus spread, the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) proposed in a recent official statement.

The statement was mentioned in a CAAV proposal on Saturday, which seeks approval from Hanoi leaders to reopen domestic flights to and from the capital during the current epidemic situation.

According to the flight authority, the plan is aligned with the government’s recent direction to relaunch arterial transport routes and ensure economic progress while also upholding safety measures against COVID-19.

The CAAV proposed that a flight relaunch be started at Noi Bai International Airport on Tuesday, with 91 domestic, two-way flights per day connecting Hanoi’s with Ho Chi Minh, Can Tho, and Da Nang Cities, as well as Kien Giang, Nghe An, Quang Binh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Gia Lai, Thua Thien-Hue, Lam Dong, Dien Bien, Khanh Hoa, and Dak Lak Provinces.

These flights will be operated by Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, Bamboo Airways, and Pacific Airlines.

The Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route will be prioritized with 28 two-way flights per day, the most out of all routes listed in the CAAV plan.

Passengers will be required to uphold the safety measures issued by the Ministry of Health, complete health declarations, and present valid COVID-19 testing results, before they can board such flights.

However, those who have received COVID-19 jabs for three weeks or more, or patients who recovered from COVID-19 within six months, will be exempted from testing requirements.

Noi Bai International Airport holds major significance in domestic and international transport, which lends importance to a resumption of flights to and from this facility, the CAAV underlined in their proposal.

Based on the city leaders’ guidance, the CAAV will ensure epidemic safety measures in all steps of the transport chain, the aviation authority affirmed.

Since July 22, the CAAV has introduced a ban on regular domestic flight routes between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as other municipalities that are upholding social distancing under the prime minister’s Directive No. 16, which is equivalent to a complete lockdown order.

Since then, Vietnam Airlines has been the only carrier allowed to fly on the Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City route with the frequency of two flights a day.

On August 30, the CAAV asked all carriers to suspend ticket sales for domestic flights and refund passengers for tickets issued prior to July 21, given the complicated situation of COVID-19 in Vietnam.

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