Viet Nam to allow domestic flights to resume

After months of lockdown, Vietnamese airlines will resume domestic services from a number of cities on October 10 in line with a phased relaxation of restrictions.

Following consultation with 20 provinces and cities, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) on October 6 announced a first phase starting on October 10 would see the re-opening of 10 routes with the following return frequencies awarded to carriers:

From Ho Chi Minh City:

to Thanh Hoa: 2x daily to Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and Bamboo Airways, with daily flights to VietJetAir;
to Khanh Hoa Province: 4x daily to Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and Bamboo Airways, with daily flights to Vietjet Air;
to Phu Yen Province: 4x daily to Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and Bamboo Airways, with daily flights to Vietjet Air;
to Binh Dinh Province: 4 daily to Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and Bamboo Airways, with daily flights to Vietjet Air;
to Phu Quoc island: 4 daily to Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and Bamboo Airways, with daily flights to Vietjet Air;
to Thua Thien Hue Province: daily to Vietnam Airlines;
to Nghe An Province: 2x weekly to Vietnam Airlines.
From Thanh Hoa:

to Khanh Hoa Province: daily to Vietjet Air;
to Buon Ma Thuot city: daily to Vietnam Airlines;
to Phu Quoc island off the Cambodian coast: daily to Vietjet Air;
Up to 4x daily flights could be added on other routes upon additional approval from other local authorities.

In the initial phase, all services must operate with seat spacing. Passengers departing from Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and Long An must undergo a genetic material (RNA) test or a rapid antigen test 72 hours before departure and must self-monitor at home for seven days, with mandatory follow-up testing. From the second phase, seat spacing will not be required on aircraft.

VietJetAir announced it was resuming daily services from Ho Chi Minh City to each of Qui Nhon (Binh Dinh Province), Thanh Hoa and Tuy Hòa (Phu Yen Province), Phu Quoc (Kien Giang Province) and Nha Trang Cam Ranh (Khanh Hoa Province). It would also operate two return flights a week from Thanh Hoa to Nha Trang and to Phu Quoc, the airline said in a statement.

The VNA Group, including Vietnam Airlines and subsidiaries Pacific Airlines and VASCO – Vietnam Air Services, said it expected to resume services on seven domestic routes from October 10. Pacific Airlines would restart daily rotations between Ho Chi Minh City and Thanh Hoa, Nha Trang, Tuy Hoa, Quy Nhon, and Phu Quoc. The group would announce
plans for Vietnam Airlines and VASCO “as soon as receiving the approval of the authorities and the local stakeholders,” it said in a social media post.

Vietnam Airlines, on its official Twitter feed, said: “With multiple domestic routes resuming at the start of October, Vietnam Airlines will put all aircraft under comprehensive mechanical inspection and continue to implement strict safety measures with our “Safety First” policy”.

Bamboo Airways in a statement announced it would restore services on five routes between Ho Chi Minh City and Thanh Hoa, Nha Trang, Tuy Hoa, Qui Nhon, and Phu Quoc. “With the remaining routes, the airline will continue to closely follow the direction of the authorities on the basis of consensus with localities to develop flight schedules,” it added.

Viet Nam’s Ministry of Transport on October 1 had announced the re-opening of domestic routes in four phases:

Phase One: October 10 – the frequencies on each route for each airline may not exceed 50% of the average of the first 10 days of April 2021 of that airline and airlines must maintain seat spacing,
Phase Two: October 20 – (up to 10 days from the end of Phase One) – the frequencies on each route for each airline may not exceed 70% of the airline’s average of the first 10 days of April 2021, and no more seat spacing required;
Phase Three: (implemented at the end of Phase Two) – the frequencies on each route for each airline may not exceed the average frequency of the first 10 days of April 2021 for that airline.
Stage Four: (new normal): normal resumption of the domestic route network.