Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Only Japan has officially agreed with Vietnam’s plan to resumeregular international flights starting next year with four flights a week,the Civil Aviation Authority said on December 23.

Vietnam is eyeingrestoring air links from January 2022 to nine destinations with a high level ofepidemiologic safety: Beijing/Guangzhou (China), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (theRepublic of Korea), Taipei (China), Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore, Vientiane(Laos), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), and San Francisco/Los Angeles (United States).

The aviation authoritysaid countries are all paying attention to restoring air connections, but thereare still a lot of issues that need to be considered, including diseaseprevention and control protocols, whether those protocols are convenient forpassengers, as well as allotment of flights to airlines.

Aside from Japan, noother country on the list has given its official response.

However, since thenational carrier Vietnam Airlines received permission from the US authoritiesto conduct non-stop commercial flights to the country, it is expected that thescheduled trips will continue to go on normally.

With regards toflights between Japan and Vietnam, since before the pandemic, only VietnamAirlines and the budget carrier Vietjet operated flights to and from Japan. Sothe early 2022 pilot phase will involve only these two airlines.

Japan has alsoannounced that two of their airlines, Japan Airlines and ANA, will be operatingthe flights to Vietnam and back.

Emphasising that theGovernment's decision on the time to reopen international flights from January1, 2022 is a good sign, Vietnam Airlines is preparing for the restoration ofinternational flights by piloting five provinces and cities when the Governmentallows.

Vietnam Airlines saidit is also preparing to reopen international routes to Europe and Australia,where there is a huge demand from overseas Vietnamese who wish to returnor visit Vietnam, especially with the traditional Tet (LunarNew Year) drawing near.

Vietjet Air’srepresentative said that the airline is ready to reopen regular internationalroutes to Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, Singapore, and Phnom Penh.

Accordingto the Ministry of Transport’s plan, there will be between four andseven flights to Vietnam each week from each of the countries on the list.Airlines are ready to operate the number of flights as allotted.

After the market recoversand when there is no need to limit the number of flights, airlines couldrestore the pre-pandemic frequency.

The health ministryearlier issued COVID-19 guidelines for overseas arrivals, which allows fullyvaccinated/recovered COVID-19 entrants with negative RT-PCR COVID-19tests to self-quarantine at home or place of accommodation for three days.

Vietnam aims to vaccinateall adults in the country against COVID-19 by the end of 2021./.