Three flights land at Van Don airport to return citizens from Europe

The area in Van Don International Airport serving for immigration procedures and customs inspection for the passengers returning back from Europe. Source: Kinh Te & Do Thi

This morning, three flights from Europe carrying 158 Vietnamese citizens and one foreigner landed at Van Don International Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

These are flights VN54, taking off from London (United Kingdom) carrying 97 Vietnamese citizens; flight VN18, taking off from Paris (France) carrying 43 Vietnamese citizens; and flight VN36, taking off from Frankfurt (Germany) carrying 18 Vietnamese and one foreign passenger.

All the passengers had their temperature and health checked, completed their medical declarations after a safe landing, and had all hand luggage and checked baggage sterilised.

Completing the immigration procedures and customs inspection at the area outside the station, ensuring that the general operation of the airport was not affected, all passengers were handed over to the Military Command of Quang Ninh province for 14 days of isolation.

After that, the entire check-in area, passengers, and equipment at the airport underwent disinfection to prevent infection.

This is not the first time Van Don International Airport has welcomed flights taking Vietnamese people returning from other countries during the COVID-19 epidemic.

So far, thousands of Vietnamese people have returned to Van Don airport from countries where the global health crisis is a serious threat to people's safety.

On March 14, Vietnam Airlines announced that it would stop taking passengers from London (UK), Paris (France), and Frankfurt (Germany) to Vietnam to prevent the disease from spreading. However, late at night, the company said that after reviewing and summarising the requirements, aspirations, and on the basis of working with the authorities, Vietnam Airlines decided to transport passengers who satisfy immigration and medical conditions to Vietnam on its flights departing from these destinations starting from March 15.