Lao Airlines suspends international charters to stem COVID

Lao Airlines (QV, Vientiane) has suspended all international charter flights to reduce the risk of a second wave of COVID-19 infections, according to local news reports. “We are suspending all charter flights based on an order from the National Taskforce for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. Based on this order, all charter flights will be suspended until Jan 23, 2021,” said Planning Director, Noudeng Chanthaphasouk, reported the Vientiane Times. The last charter flight from Laos to South Korea reportedly departed on Sunday, December 27, while the last humanitarian flight bringing back Laos workers from overseas took place on December 13. All arrivals were required to isolate for 14 days at a designated quarantine centre. The national carrier has only been operating weekly international scheduled flights from Vientiane to Guangzhou with one of its four A320-200s, according to the ch-aviation schedules module. It also operates domestically from Vientiane to Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, and Pakse, using its fleet of four own ATR72-500s and three own ATR72-600s. The total number of Covid-19 cases recorded in Laos remains at 41 of which 40 have recovered, while one person remains under observation in hospital, according to the Centre of Education for Health under the Laos Ministry of Health.