Domestic airlines will be banned from flying out if flight crew members infringe regulations on quarantine and Covid-19 prevention and control, according to an urgent dispatch from the Ministry of Transport.

The ministry has sent the urgent dispatch to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) and local carriers, including Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, Bamboo Airways and Pacific Airlines on December 1, requesting them to tighten control over Covid-19 infection among crew members on international flights.

The ministry also asked the airlines to continue strictly complying with protocols on controlling flight crew as mandated by the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control and the preventive measures of the Ministry of Health.

Vietnam's airlines must strictly comply with Covid-19 protocols. Photo: Le Thanh/Kinhtedothi.vn

Pilots on flights to bring citizens, experts, investors and high-tech workers to Vietnam have to strictly abide by preventive measures, and avoid contact with passengers during the flight and the rest of the crew as well as with local ground staff at foreign airports.

Flight attendants and other crew members on the same flights, as well as technical workers are required to wear protective clothing, restrict contact with passengers, have their own toilet, and strictly comply with other preventive measures during flights.

They should not maintain any contact with pilots during flights and ground personnel at foreign airports.

After arriving in Vietnam, the entire flight crew and all passengers have to remain under quarantine and take Covid-19 tests. If tested negative for Covid-19 in the first attempt, they need to take the second test at least 72 hours after the first test.

If both Covid-19 tests come back negative, they will go into isolation at home following the guidance of the Ministry of Health. In case any of them test positive for Covid-19, all the others will be quarantined for 14 days in the quarantine centers.

Apology from Vietnam Airlines

The ministry's request followed recent infections in Ho Chi Minh city caused by a flight attendant of Vietnam Airlines who flouted quarantine regulations at the airline’s quarantine center and at his home.

Vietnam has recorded 1,358 Covid-19 cases so far, 119 still active. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn

Yesterday, Vietnam Airlines sent a press release to apologize for the incident.

On the same day, the Ministry of Transport suspended chief purser Phan Ngoc Linh for 15 days from duty for being held accountable for the disease spreading by one of his subordinates.

The flight attendant, Covid-19 Patient 1342, infected his friend, a 32-year-old English teacher in Ho Chi Minh City who was confirmed on Monday, breaking Vietnam's 88-day streak of no community transmission. The teacher went on to infect at least two others, his one-year-old nephew and a 28-year-old student, both confirmed community transmission cases.

Patient 1342 had not just violated rules of self-quarantine at home, but also at the quarantine camp of Vietnam Airlines. He had intruded into the space of another flight crew and contracted the virus from another attendant who had been confirmed as Patient 1325 on November 26.

Vietnam has recorded 1,358 Covid-19 cases so far, including 119 active infections, and 35 deaths.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has requested relevant authorities to ramp up Covid-19 prevention measures and increase monitoring. Those who violate preventive measures must be sanctioned properly.