Carriers to resume domestic flights next week

In addition to resuming most of its previously suspended routes on April 16, Vietjet Air will also operate three individual flights from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on April 11, 12, and 13, a representative of the budget carrier told VnExpress.

Bamboo Airways will resume flights on the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh route from April 16, while other routes will begin operating from April 20 onwards.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has said it is considering resuming Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh flights and some other niche routes.

All carriers have said they will continue to implement Covid-19 protection measures such as requiring passengers and crew to keep a safe distance from each other when queuing up or sitting in the aircraft.

Passengers are required to check in online, produce health reports, wash hands regularly, and wear masks and gloves. The carriers will refuse to take on board those who cannot produce medical reports, those who show symptoms such as fever, or those who have recently passed through epidemic-stricken areas.

The government had asked all carriers to suspend most domestic flights from April 1 to April 15 as it launched a nationwide social distancing campaign to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

During the campaign, only two flights between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, one between Hanoi and central Da Nang City, and one between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang have been operating each day.

As of Sunday morning, Vietnam had recorded 258 Covid-19 infections, of whom 144 have been discharged.

On Monday, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long suggested Vietnam should extend the social distancing campaign to curb community transmission of the virus.