On September 8, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam Dinh Viet Thang just sent a document to the Ministry of Transport to approve the plan to operate regular flights during the epidemic period.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, currently, domestic air transport activities only operate cargo flights and combined flights carrying official passengers, Covid-19 epidemic prevention forces and cases with written consent for movement from relevant localities.
In order to ensure the task of epidemic prevention and maintenance of air transport activities, avoiding economic disruption, the Civil Aviation Authority reports to the Ministry of Transport the plan to organize regular domestic passenger flights during the epidemic prevention period as follows:
Divide 22 airports of the country into 3 groups A, B and C.
- Group A airports (green zones) include airports in provinces and cities that do not have areas applying social distancing according to Directive 16, including: Van Don Airport (Quang Ninh) and seaplane landing sites in Ha Long Bay, Cat Bi (Hai Phong), and Dien Bien.
- Group B airports (yellow zones) are airports in provinces and cities that only apply social distancing in each area (district level and above) according to Directive 16, including: Noi Bai airport (Hanoi), Tho Xuan (Thanh Hoa), Dong Hoi (Quang Binh), Vinh (Nghe An), Cam Ranh (Nha Trang), Phu Bai (Thua Thien-Hue), Pleiku (Gia Lai), Tuy Hoa (Phu Yen), Chu Lai (Quang Nam), Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak), Con Dao (Ba Ria-Vung Tau), Vung Tau airport serving helicopters, Lien Khuong (Lam Dong).
- Group C airports (red zone) are airports in provinces and cities that are applying full social distancing according to Directive 16, including: Da Nang, Phu Cat (Binh Dinh), Tan Son Nhat (HCMC), Can Tho, Phu Quoc (Kien Giang), Ca Mau, Rach Gia (Kien Giang) airports.
Phase 1The pilot will be applied 4 weeks after the plan is approved. Accordingly, flights from group A to groups A, B, and C will not be limited to passengers. Passengers must have a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours.
For flights from group B to group A, B and C; from group C to group A and B are business travelers, Covid-19 epidemic prevention forces, only need to have a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours.
Other passengers must have a negative Covid-19 test certificate within 72 hours and meet one of the following conditions: have a certificate of completion of quarantine and be transported directly by a specialized vehicle from the quarantine facility to the departure airport; or have a certificate of full vaccination against Covid-19, in which the last dose was given within at least 14 days and no more than 12 months from the time of departure; or have a certificate of recovery from Covid-19 within 12 months from the time of departure.
Flights between Group C airports are only applicable to official passengers, Covid-19 prevention forces and passengers with written consent to travel and reception from the departing and arriving localities. Passengers must have a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours.
The Civil Aviation Authority noted that during this period, airlines are only allowed to open sales for flights with departure dates within 4 weeks from the date the plan is approved by the Ministry of Transport.
During the implementation of phase 1, the Civil Aviation Authority will monitor the process and evaluate the practice. If the first 4-week pilot is implemented smoothly,Phase 2Flights will be deployed with the same passenger components as in phase 1. In addition to medical and epidemiological documents as in phase 1, passengers traveling between the above airport groups in phase 2 can use confirmation of residence in areas where social distancing is not applied according to directive 16 at least 14 days before travel.
The Civil Aviation Authority noted that for phase 2, airlines are only allowed to open sales to passengers "with confirmation of residence in an area where social distancing is not applied according to Directive 16 at least 14 days before travel" on flights with departure dates within 4 weeks from the start date of phase 2.
