These flights were sponsored by the German Government and jointly organised by Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnam Airlines. The flight on the 8th of April also transported medical supplies from the Government and people of Vietnam to Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

With the approval of the Vietnamese Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to accommodate wishes of German and European Union (EU) nationals to return home, Vietnam Airlines operated two special flights from Vietnam to Germany on the 6th and 8th of April (Cre: VNA).

The aforementioned flights, which were operated on Boeing 787-10 aircraft, carried nearly 600 German and EU passengers to Frankfurt (Germany) on the mornings of the 6th and 8th of April. Services provided for passengers and cargo transportation had to strictly comply with the pandemic prevention and control regulations.

All flight crew members were equipped with medical protective gear. Before boarding, body temperature and health checks, as well as interviews, were conducted for all passengers. The passengers were required to wear face masks for the entirety of the flights. To limit possible infection from reusable items, Vietnam Airlines did not provide hot in-flight meals and magazines on these flights.

The flight on the 8th of April also transported medical supplies from the Government and people of Vietnam to Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic (Cre: VNA).

On their way from Germany back to Vietnam, these flights only carried cargo. Upon landing, the aircraft was thoroughly disinfected including passenger cabins, cockpits, and cargo compartments.

These flights have a significant meaning to the German and EU passengers who were stranded in Vietnam as a result of the suspension of international flights departing from Vietnam to further prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Apart from repatriating passengers and providing medical supplies, these flights have further strengthened the diplomatic relation between Vietnam with Germany and European countries as well as assist the global prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, Vietnam Airlines had also transported medical equipment from the Government and people of Vietnam to support Laos and Cambodia.

Nguyen Mai Huong-COMM