Proposal to resume domestic flights with no restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has proposed the resumption of all domestic flights, where fully vaccinated passengers and those have recovered from COVID-19 can travel without restrictions.

In the first phase, each airline will operate each route with a frequency of less than 50% compared to the first week of April. (Illustrative image/Photo: Vietnam Airlines)
In the first phase, each airline will operate each route with a frequency of less than 50% compared to the first week of April. (Illustrative image/Photo: Vietnam Airlines)

The CAAV said on September 13 that it has reported to the Ministry of Transport on a plan to restore domestic air transport.

Domestic flights will be operated according three phases. In the first phase, each airline will operate each route with a frequency of less than 50% compared to the first week of April (before the fourth outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic).

The frequency will be less than 70% in the second phase while the frequency will not exceed that of the first week of April. After that, airlines can operate flights according to demand when all provinces and cities lift social distancing orders under Directive 16.

The CAAV has also proposed passengers meet several criteria including being fully vaccinated and having a negative test result for SARS-CoV-2 taken within 72 hours prior to travel.

The first phase is expected to last two weeks after the CAAV’s proposal is approved. In this phase, passengers need to have a certificate of completion of concentrated isolation or a certificate of being fully vaccinated or a certificate of recovery from COVID-19.

In the second phase, besides the conditions applied in the first phase, passengers who have a certificate of living in a locality not undergoing social distancing under Directive 16 can also take domestic flights. Meanwhile, the third phase will not limit the number of eligible passengers.