Vietnam Airlines aircraft touched down at San Francisco Airport in Việt Nam's first non-stop commercial flight to the US in early December 2021. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Government has granted the Ministry of Transport more autonomy in deciding the resumption of international commercial air routes to destinations with high COVID-19 safety.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh assigned the Ministry of Transport to work with other ministries, agencies, and localities to consider and decide on the resumption of international commercial air routes, in response to the ministry’s request for permission to restart regularly-scheduled commercial flights to Europe and Oceania.

The request was made on behalf of national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines, which wishes to expand the list of destinations it could operate flights to and from.

The Ministries of Health, Public Security, and Information and Communications, meanwhile, have been assigned to issue medical declaration software that is generally applicable to air travel to facilitate the declaration of passengers, the operation of aviation enterprises, and the medical monitoring, control and tracing of arrivals.

Earlier on December 10, the Government approved the resumption of commercial flights between Việt Nam and nine destinations with high vaccination rates and good pandemic control measures in place, starting from January 1, 2022.

Specifically, regular flights are scheduled to between Việt Nam and Bangkok (Thailand), Beijing/Guangzhou (China), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), San Francisco or Los Angeles (the US), Seoul (South Korea), Singapore, Taiwan, Tokyo (Japan), and Vientiane (Laos).

Last week, the Ministry of Health said quarantine requirement is waived for foreign arrivals entering Việt Nam and staying for official or business purposes for less than 14 days, while other foreign entrants only need to self-quarantine for three days if they are fully vaccinated or recently recovered from COVID-19, with negative PCR tests. — VGP/VNS