Flights to carry Vietnamese in nCoV-hit China back home

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Planes of Vietnamese airlines at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam Airlines is resuming flights between Vietnam and Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan as from February 2 after the civil aviation authority permitted the resumption to repatriate affected passengers at airports in Vietnam and the Chinese territories amid the novel coronavirus (nCoV) outbreak.

The national flag carrier said that it is resuming the routes between Vietnam and Taiwan as from February 2. It is conducting flights linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Hong Kong as scheduled from February 2 through February 5.

After that, Vietnam Airlines will suspend the Hanoi-Hong Kong route. The HCM City-Hong Kong route will be maintained after February 5, but the carrier will keep a close watch on the travel demand to adjust the flight frequency. Flights between Hanoi and Macau are also resumed on February 2 and will be halted from February 5.

Meanwhile, Jetstar Pacific announced that it is operating flights between Hanoi and Hong Kong as planned through February 5 and maintain the Vietnam-Taiwan route.

Vietjet Air said it suspended all flights to and from China as from February 1. However, all other international routes, including those to Hong Kong and Taiwan, are still operated as normal.

Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan said as Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan haven’t been affected much by the nCoV epidemic, his ministry decided to allow airlines to conduct flights between Vietnam and the three Chinese territories.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, this agency has temporarily cancelled the licences granted to flights linking with China from 6am GMT (1pm Vietnam time) on February 1 until a new announcement is issued.

However, to handle the large number of passengers stranded at many destinations in mainland China, Vietnamese airlines are permitted to conduct some flights to carry them home.

All flights from Vietnam to China to repatriate passengers will be empty, and the returning flights will carry only Vietnamese passengers and must land at Van Don airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh. People on those flights will be isolated and have their health monitored for at least two weeks, the aviation authority noted./.