Planes are at Nội Bài International Airport. Transport Ministry has instructed air carriers to prepare for resumption of international flights. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Airlines will only be able to sell tickets to passengers with a visa for Việt Nam and residential accommodations in the country when commercial international flights to Việt Nam resume.

The Ministry of Transport detailed the guidelines to relevant agencies on Wednesday evening after Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh agreed with its proposal to resume international flights between Việt Nam and some partners.

Deputy Transport Minister Lê Anh Tuấn asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam (CAA) to work with relevant agencies in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, authorities and airlines in China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan (China), Cambodia and Laos to identify eligible passengers, procedures and conditions for them to take the fights.

For example, the process to measure body temperature, install the NCOVI app and report health conditions and RT-PCR testing results.

When selling tickets, airlines must check COVID-19 testing results granted by authorised agencies in host countries. The testing results must be issued within three days of flying.

The air carriers have to send lists of passengers to the aviation authority 12 hours before the flight and confirmed lists of passengers 30 minutes before the flights’ departure.

Passengers who transit from third countries to Việt Nam will sit in separate cabins and not share same cabins with those who departed from Guangzhou (China), Taiwan (China), Seoul (the Republic of Korea), and Tokyo (Japan), Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and Vientiane (Laos).

Passengers when arriving Việt Nam’s airports will be grouped and taken to quarantine areas in line with quarantine plans of the People’s Committee of provinces/cities where they arrive.

The Health Department under the transport ministry will work with the Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Health’s agencies to ensure disease prevention and control for international flights.

Earlier this week, Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh approved a proposal to resume regular international passenger flights between Việt Nam and some partners submitted by the transport ministry.

However, besides Minh's approval, the plan for the flights' resumption needs to be approved by Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam, chair of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

It's expected that Đam will make a decision during the meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Thursday.

According to the proposal, Việt Nam would resume air routes to Guangzhou, Taiwan, Seoul, and Tokyo from September 15, and to Phnom Penh and Vientiane from September 22.

To enter Việt Nam via commercial flights from the six places, passengers have to meet specific requirements.

Passengers on such flights can include holders of diplomatic and official passports and their family members; experts, investors, business managers, high-tech workers and their family members; and Vietnamese wishing to return home.

The passengers are required to have a certificate of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued three days prior to departure.

Immediately after arriving, they will be given RT-PCR tests at the quarantine facility and quarantined. 

Deputy PM Minh agreed to consider shortening the period of concentrated quarantine, possibly to five days, for people of the above-mentioned groups after they test negative twice, and then allow them to self-quarantine at home or offices of enterprises and organisations.

Those who arrive on commercial flights after transiting a third country will have to stay in concentrated quarantine for 14 days.

Foreigners arriving for short stays under 14 days will have to follow regulations of the health ministry.

The Deputy PM tasked the Ministry of Public Security and the foreign ministry to shorten the time required for visa issuance to three days.

The Ministry of Public Security was instructed to work with local authorities to organise and supervise the implementation of quarantine rules as regulated. —VNS