(Illustrated image – Cre: VNA).

Previously, this pilot had been on leave from work from the 8th to the 15th of March. On the 16th of March, the pilot served on a total of two flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Throughout the flights, the pilot always wore a face mask and strictly abided by health protection measures as regulated to mitigate the risk of infection. On the afternoon of the 17th of March, after noticing signs of fatigue, the pilot immediately informed the Flight Crew Division and went to the hospital for testing and was immediately quarantined under the airline’s close supervision on the 18th of March. Vietnam Airlines is working with competent authorities to review and identify any locations the patient had been to as well as staff members he/she had been in contact with during his/her work leave to implement optimal handling measures promptly.   

Upon receiving the test results, Vietnam Airlines immediately disinfected the Southern office of the Flight Crew Division. All areas of the aircraft operated by this pilot were also disinfected, including the cockpits, galley areas, passenger cabins, and cargo compartments.

From February 2020, Vietnam Airlines has checked the temperature of pilots and flight attendants upon arrival at the office and before every flight. Throughout the flight process, all flight crew and ground staff members are equipped with full medical protective gear, including gloves, face masks, antiseptic liquid, alcohol wipes, and so forth. Vietnam Airlines has disinfected and cleaned all aircraft upon landing to enhance pandemic deterrence.

Regarding pilots, Vietnam Airlines strictly implements numerous safety measures such as ensuring that pilots do not have close interaction with others, equipping pilots with medical protective clothing to be worn when flying from Europe to Vietnam, arranging separate vehicles to carry pilots to the aircraft, and reducing flight attendant to pilot contact when their meals are served.

Nguyen Mai Huong-COMM