Bamboo Airways has become Vietnam’s first airline to suspend flights to South Korea due to the rapid spread of the Covid-19 epidemic in the Northeast Asian country.

In a bid to ensure safety for passengers and the community, the airline would suspend the operation of two routes Da Nang – Incheon (DAD-ICN) and Nha Trang – Incheon (CXR-ICN) from February 26, said Bamboo Airways in a statement.

Currently, DAD-ICN and CXR – ICN routes are being operated daily by Bamboo Airways with a frequency of seven two-way flights per week each with A321NEO.

“The operation suspension of these two routes is an extremely important and necessary action to actively contribute to preventing the spread of epidemic,” said the airline.

The airline also urged Vietnamese citizens or South Korean visitors planning to come back to their hometown should proactively arrange the return schedule before the mentioned deadline.

As of present, four Vietnam airlines, including Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific are operating 14 air routes from Nha Trang, Da Lat, Hai Phong, Danang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Busan, Incheon, Jeolla-Nam, Gangwon, Cheongwon-gu and Daegu with 182 two-way flights per week, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

Meanwhile, eight South Korean airlines are conducting 10 flight routes from Busan, Incheon, Daegu and Jeolla-Nam to Cam Ranh, Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with 381 two-way flights per week.

Vice Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan on February 23 said Vietnam has not considered suspending flights between the country and South Korea. However, as a large number of South Korean passengers have canceled air bookings to Vietnam, airlines are reducing flight frequency to South Korea, said Tuan.

Without passengers, most airlines have suspended flight routes from Vietnam to Daegu, the epicenter of the outbreak, while only Vietjet Air flies to Daegu at the moment, Tuan added.

China is the only market to date that the CAAV decided to halt all flights, starting on February 1 until further notice.