First regular flights from Europe arrive in Vietnam after two years

By Hoang Phong January 26, 2022 | 01:16 am PT

Passengers wait at Frankfurt Airport in Germany for a flight to Hanoi, January 25, 2022. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Airlines

The first two commercial flights from Europe operated by Vietnam Airlines landed at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport on Wednesday after nearly two years of Covid suspension.

The first flight departing Frankfurt with 190 passengers arrived at 9:30 a.m. (local time) and another from London carrying 300 landed at 9:55 a.m.

Most of the passengers were overseas Vietnamese returning home for family reunions during Tet (Lunar New Year), Vietnam’s biggest and most important holiday.

From Feb. 8, the carrier will operate flights once a week each Tuesday on the Hanoi-London route and Hanoi-Paris-Frankfurt routes every Thursday.

Before the pandemic, Vietnam Airlines was the only carrier in Vietnam to operate direct flights to Frankfurt, Paris, London and Moscow.

Vietnam had closed its borders and grounded all regular international flights in March 2020, only allowing in its nationals and foreign experts, investors and highly skilled workers coming by special flights.

Vietnamese aviation officially reopened regular flights between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok, Phnom Penh, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo on Jan. 1 this year.

Vietnam Airlines earlier announced to resume regular flights between Hanoi, HCMC and Sydney from Jan. 16.