REGULAR INT’L FLIGHTS MAY BE RESUMED FROM 2022

The Ministry of Transport has put forward a three-phase plan on resumption of regular international flights, starting from 2022.

Under the proposed plan, the first phase will begin in the first quarter next year, with flights to be resumed to China, Hong Kong (China), Japan, the Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and Australia.

Arrivals fully vaccinated or recovering from COVID-19 will be required to undergo seven-day mandatory quarantine.

Those who are not fully vaccinated will be required to undergo 14-day mandatory quarantine.

The second phase is scheduled to start from the second quarter.

Passengers with “vaccine passport” will not be required to undergo mandatory quarantine but they will have to isolate themselves at places of residence.

Arrivals without vaccine passport will be required to undergo 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Regular international flights may be resumed from the third quarter (the third phase) depending on the vaccination progress and the developments of the pandemic in Viet Nam and the world.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, competent authorities only permitted a limited number of international flights from/to Viet Nam since late March 2020.

From April 2020 to September 2021, more than 274,000 passengers entered Viet Nam by air. In addition, airlines conducted more than 450 flights to bring home 140,000 Vietnamese citizens.

Earlier this month, the Government agreed with a pilot roadmap to reopen borders to foreign tourists from November, nearly 20 months after the country suspended entry of foreign tourists due to COVID-19.

Under the three-stage roadmap proposed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in the first stage, foreign tourists are welcomed to the following four destinations, namely Phu Quoc island of the southern province of Kien Giang, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Da Nang, and Quang Ninh.

More destinations will be chosen for the pilot policy from January next year.

Source: VGP