Aviation businesses seek resumption of international flights

It petitioned Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc late last week to also allow foreign tourists to enter the country if they meet pandemic prevention requirements.

Dinh Viet Thang, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, said discussions had been held with authorities in several countries that have contained the Covid-19 outbreak about the revival of commercial flights.

"Those countries have agreed to resume flights to Vietnam with all passengers quarantined and tested for Covid-19," he said without disclosing their names.

Therefore, the resumption of international flights depends on Vietnam’s quarantine capacity and the capability of its medical sector, he said.

The National Steering Committee on Covid-19 Prevention and Control would decide when international flights could resume and about such things as isolation fees and pandemic control procedures for foreign tourists entering the country, he added.

Vietnam banned the entry of foreign nationals since March 22 except for special cases and suspended international flights since March 25.

The government last month agreed to resume commercial flights to and from China and ordered the resumption of commercial services to some Asian destinations.

However, local transmission of the disease resumed in Vietnam after a three-month hiatus on July 25, and over 500 cases have been reported since in 15 cities and provinces.