Vietnam Airlines will reduce its domestic flight capacity between March 30 and April 15 in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19), the airline said.
The airline will only operate one daily round trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang and Phu Quoc.
All other domestic routes will be temporarily suspended between March 30 and April 15.
Details about specific flights, with flight numbers and time changes for those departing between March 30 and April 15 can be found here, while details of scheduled domestic flights between March 30 and April 1 can be seen here.
Affected domestic passengers will be assisted in rebooking, rerouting or refunding tickets, according to the airline.
The Vietnamese flag carrier has also implemented a number of measures in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
The airline said it will be conducting temperature checks on all of its flights. Passengers with a body temperature of 37.5 degrees or above will not be allowed to travel with the carrier.
Passengers will also have to wear face masks during the flight and when entering the airport, the airline said. It’s also recommending passengers to keep a minimum distance of two meters from others when queuing for check-in and boarding.
On Vietnam Airlines’ domestic flights departing from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, the airline will be practicing social distancing by ensuring that passengers are sitting at least one seat apart from one another.
The airline said its flight crew on all flights including pilots, flight attendants, and technical staff, will be equipped with protective gear, such as suits, gloves, face masks, and glasses. The airline added that it will conduct the SARS-CoV-2 test for all of its pilots and flight attendants.
Recently, the airline announced that it would sanitise its entire fleet with disinfectant daily upon landing in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. The carrier said it has developed a disinfection procedure, which includes two steps – spraying disinfectant on the aircraft and cleaning equipment with “specialised liquid”.
Earlier this month, the carrier temporarily suspended all international flights within its network until April 30 amid increasing border closures and a drop in travel demand worldwide.
Vietnam Airlines to suspend all international flights until end of April
