HCMC – Vietnam reopened international air services to and from 20 countries and territories, but the current number of international flights has reached nearly 10% of the pre-pandemic levels.
Tran Bao Ngoc, head of the Transportation Department under the Ministry of Transport, said Vietnam has so far reopened air routes linking the country with 20 countries and regions, compared to 28 countries and regions during the pre-pandemic period.
The remaining eight countries and regions to which Vietnam has yet to resume air services comprise Brunei, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Macau, Finland, Italy, and Switzerland.
The current frequency of international flights to/from Vietnam is 370 flights per week, compared to 4,185 during the 2019 winter before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country, he added.
Up to now, six local carriers, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Pacific Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, and Vasco, are operating 56 domestic air routes with 2,570 flights per week each way, down two routes and 217 weekly flights scheduled in the 2019 winter.
Regarding domestic air travel, the number of passengers traveling by air increased significantly after the country lifted Covid restrictions. Some local airports experienced congestion during the holidays. The Transport Ministry directed the local competent forces to coordinate with local carriers to cope with the issue.
Earlier, Vietnam resumed regular international flights to some countries and territories from January 1 this year.
From February 15, the national aviation authority informed its counterparts in other countries that the country lifted restrictions on regular and charter international flights.
Domestic and foreign airlines were allowed to reoffer their services following bilateral and multilateral agreements signed between the national aviation authority and its counterparts.
