Vietnam to resume commercial flights to 'highly safe' countries

The Government Office said Friday that Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has asked the Ministry of Transport to submit a plan before Nov. 5 to resume regular international commercial flights.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will discuss with partners ways to accelerate the recognition of vaccine passports, the office said.

Passengers land on Quang Ninh Province's Van Don Airport from France, Sept. 23, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Binh Minh

Minh has also agreed with the policy of creating favorable conditions for foreigners to enter Vietnam, as per categories approved by the Prime Minister, including people visiting Vietnam to research markets, attend conferences, seminars and visit relatives; and Vietnamese people residing abroad with their relatives.

These people need a certificate of vaccination or a certificate of having been infected and recovered from Covid-19. Vietnamese people residing abroad are exempted from visas, according to a regulation issued in 2015.

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said last Thursday that Vietnam has accepted vaccine passports from 72 countries and territories, and is discussing the issue with 80 others.

Vietnam’s vaccine certificate has also been recognized by some countries. This is a legal basis to reopen and bring economic and social activities back to the new normal.

On Oct. 22, in a draft plan sent to the Ministry of Transport for approval, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam proposed launching pilot flights to carry foreign tourists to specific tourist destinations like Phu Quoc, Khanh Hoa, and Quang Ninh during the first phase scheduled to start this quarter.

Vietnam closed its doors to foreign tourists and canceled all international flights in March last year, allowing only Vietnamese repatriates and foreign experts, and highly-skilled workers to enter with stringent quarantine conditions.