290 Vietnamese citizens from the Republic of Korea were brought home on November 23.
This was the first repatriation flight that required passengers to pay all kinds of fees in advance including tickets, fees for 15-day quarantine period, foods, and Covid-19 testing.
A representative from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) said that such repatriation flights would meet rising demand from Vietnamese abroad, especially those from South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan which have properly controlled the pandemic.
"Those repatriation flights will land at four airports including Van Don, Danang, Cam Ranh, and Can Tho," the representative said.
Deputy director of Vietnam Airlines, Le Hong Ha, said that Vietnam Airlines conducted the first flight on Monday and would operate more such flights from South Korea following high demand.
"After receiving permits from the CAAV and the Ministry of Transport, we have researched for market demand and have plans for flights from now to the end of this year," Ha said. "The number of registrations was very big at first but after being informed about the fees, many people have cancelled."
Earlier, all repatriation flights were supported by the government with free quarantine accommodation and food. People only have to pay if they choose to stay at hotels for better services.
