Vietnam to reopen air routes to US, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Cambodia

Approximately 140,000 Vietnamese nationals residing abroad wish to return home, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (Illustrative photo).

Dinh Viet Thang, head of the CAAV, told local media outlets on December 28 that the CAAV had sent the request to Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), China, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, regarding Vietnam’s pilot scheme to reopen regular international commercial flights between the two sides.

According to Thang, the aviation authorities of Japan, Taiwan (China), Singapore and Cambodia have accepted the request, while those of the Republic of Korea, Laos, and China have yet to make a response. The aviation authority of Thailand said they need more negotiations with the Vietnamese side.

The US had earlier permitted Vietnam Airlines to conduct non-stop flights to its destinations, making Vietnam Airlines the only air carrier to resume international commercial flights between the two countries.

The resumption of the air routes will start on January 1, 2022, and the scheme will be adjusted depending on COVID-19 prevention and control measures, said Thang.

For Japan, the CAAV has granted flight permits to Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and All Nippons Airways. Vietnam Airlines is scheduled to operate the first flight on January 5, 2022, while Vietjet Air and All Nippons Airways are due to resume their flights on January 6, 2022.

For Taiwan (China), Taiwan (China), the CAAV has licensed flights to Taipei for Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways. Taiwan has proposed increasing the frequency for each side to at least five flights/week.

For Singapore, Vietnam Airlines will operate two flights/week and Vietjet Air once/week.

Vietnam Airlines has also been licensed to run four flights/week to Cambodia.

The CAAV said it is negotiating with the aviation authorities of France, Germany, Russia and Australia to reopen international routes to these markets with a frequency of 7 flights/week.

The Vietnamese Government had earlier agreed with the Ministry of Transport’s pilot scheme to restore regular international commercial flights to Beijing/Guangzhou (China), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (the Republic of Korea), Taipei (Taiwan), Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore, Vientiane (Laos), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), and San Francisco/Los Angeles (US).

As all these markets have recorded first Omicron cases, the CAAV said it is negotiating with the aviation authorities of these countries to supplement regulations on rapid testing before passengers board the plane.

Currently, airports in the US and Japan have offered rapid tests with the results coming back within two hours, VOV has learned.