Asiana Airlines Flies 218 Korean Students to Hanoi, Vietnam... First Since March

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] Asiana Airlines became the first airline to transport passengers without Vietnamese nationality to Hanoi Airport since the skies were closed due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in March.

Asiana Airlines announced on the 7th that flight OZ733 departed at 9:20 a.m. carrying 218 Korean international students and is scheduled to arrive at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam at 12 p.m. local time.

This is the first case of foreign nationals being allowed to enter Hanoi Airport since the Vietnamese government's ban on foreign entry due to COVID-19. However, according to local authorities' guidelines, all these students will undergo a two-week self-quarantine.

An Asiana Airlines official said, "Although this entry permission to Hanoi Airport is a one-time event, it represents a meaningful progress in resuming flights between Korea and Vietnam," adding, "We hope that the air routes between Korea and Vietnam will normalize soon."

Previously, on March 22, when COVID-19 was rapidly spreading, the Vietnamese government banned all foreigners from entering Vietnam and prohibited flights through Hanoi Airport. Consequently, Korean residents and domestic company officials who needed to enter Vietnam had to use Ban Don Airport, located about 144 km away from Hanoi Airport.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.