Vietnam begins reopening skies to int’l air travel on New Year’s Day

A Vietnam Airlines plane from Cambodia to Vietnam touched down at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on January 1 evening, the first such international commercial flight to Vietnam in 2022.

Vietnam Airlines flight VN852 brings passengers from Cambodia to Vietnam on New Year's Day, marking the reopening of Vietnam's skies to international air travel in 2022.

The flight marked the reopening of Vietnam’s skies connecting the country with the rest of the world, offering the prospect of a post-pandemic recovery in the aviation and tourism industries.

The flight is part of a Government-approved pilot scheme to restore regular international flights to destinations with high safety factors, starting from January 1, 2022.

This policy aims to restore international passenger transportation and promote economic recovery to ensure Vietnam will not lag behind other countries in the region. It also creates conditions for Vietnamese citizens to return to their homeland in the coming Lunar New Year holiday (Tet).

In the first phase, Vietnam has planned to operates such flights to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), China, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

So far the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Cambodia have agreed to resume international air routes to Vietnam. Further negotiations for other markets are underway.

Vietnam Airlines is one of several domestic airlines receiving permits to conduct international flights in the first phase. Besides the Cambodia route, the national flag carrier is scheduled to fly to Japan on January 5 and the US on January 9.

Vietnam Airlines has announced a plan to resume regular international flights between Vietnam and 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. It is offering tickets for flights to the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Laos and Taiwan (China).