Int'l aviation market suffers slow recovery post reopening: official

By Hoang Phong October 26, 2022 | 10:50 pm PT

An aircraft takes off from Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, April 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

International air passenger numbers through Vietnamese airports have only recovered half of pre-pandemic levels as resumption of regular flights to some key markets remains challenging, an aviation official said.

Dinh Viet Thang, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, told a meeting early this week that the resumption of regular flights to some key tourism markets like China still faces challenges due to ongoing Covid entry restrictions.

"Aviation officials in Vietnam and China are in talks to restore regular flights between the two countries," he added.

China is one of the few places in the world that have been tightening Covid entry restrictions.

Though some markets like South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan have reopened tourism and relaxed Covid restrictions, travel demand remains disappointing, Thang said.

Aviation officials expect the number of international passengers going through Vietnamese airports this year to reach 10 million, or around 24% of pre-pandemic levels.