Nôi Bài International Airport, Hà Nội, on February 15, 2022. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — A total of 19 flight routes between Việt Nam and other countries have resumed operations since the pilot programme to bring back international flights starting from the beginning of 2022, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam (CAAV).

So far, the active routes are between Việt Nam and China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Australia, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Turkey, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Except China, who is sticking with its stringent zero COVID strategy and only allows flights from China to Việt Nam and limits the inbound route, all the countries receiving Việt Nam’s proposal on reopening have agreed to restore the aviation links.

During the pandemic, the number of foreigners entering/leaving Việt Nam was about 40-50,000 a month, but the figures have more than doubled to 103,000 during January and hit 153,000 as of February 14.

On February 15, the first day of the country’s full removal of curbs on the number of inbound/outbound flight routes, Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội saw 80 international flights, including 23 passenger flights, while Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City served 94 international flights on the day. 

With the lifting of restrictions on international passenger flights, foreign arrivals to Việt Nam are expected to surge and gradually recover to the level before COVID-19 broke out, the authority said. 

Budget airline Vietjet Air and national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines have announced plans to increase flight frequency and resume international networks.

Earlier, the CAAV asked the Việt Nam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) to issue a Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) on the lifting of all restrictions on international flights from February 15, returning to the normal situation as before the outbreak of COVID-19.

According to the authority, limits on the number of inbound and outbound international flights in Vietnam will be removed. Meanwhile, regulations on entry and pandemic prevention and control for passengers entering Việt Nam will continue to be implemented in line with guidelines of the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Health, it said. — VNS