Bamboo Airways temporarily stops carrying foreigners to Vietnam from 28.3 – 15.4, amidst the harsh situation of the Vietnam airline industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. We had an interview with Mr. Dang Tat Thang, CEO of Bamboo Airways about this decision.

❓ Could you tell us the reason why Bamboo Airways temporarily stops charter flights to Vietnam from 28.3 to 15.4?

👉 Mr. Dang Tat Thang: As we all know, the fight against Covid-19 in Vietnam stepped into the most difficult period. On 27 March, Prime Minister has announced that the next 2 weeks are the crucial period to decide whether we stop the spread of this pandemic in Vietnam.

Every day, we witnessed the new patients, including a big number of people returning from Europe. Most of the isolated areas are overload, some doctors fighting right from the beginning has been exposed to the virus, a hospital has become an covid outbreak center causing the medical supervisor of thousand people, some residential areas, as well as apartments, have been isolated, the risk of cross-contamination in the community has been increasing…

On 28 March, Vietnam Foreign Ministry recommends that Vietnamese citizens in foreign countries currently should not come back to Vietnam during this time and follow the prevention guidelines.

As an airline following the social responsibilities, we are aware of the big pressure on the prevention units in the country. The situation is changing every day.
If we carry out the charter flights with the passengers entering Vietnam, the airline has to not only bring passengers home safely but also put the burden on the isolation organizations which will be responsible for taking care of passengers for 14 days … including doctors, nurses, soldiers, and other officers.

Therefore, we do not want to put extra tasks on people, especially when our country is at the peak of covid prevention. Bamboo Airways looks forward to receiving the sympathy from oversea Vietnamese, who may be affected by our choice.

❓ The airline industry is in a difficult situation, carrying out charter flights may bring profits for Bamboo Airways?

👉 Aviation is one of the industries affected largely by the Covid-19 pandemic. Like the other airlines, we definitely need profits. We understand that we will receive lots of compliments and have profits if we fly during this time. But we also understand that the profits of an airline cannot be more prioritized than the country’s benefits.

After the comprehensive consideration, we decide that we temporarily stop the charter flights in the next 2 weeks. It is a tough decision, which may result in a lot of damages to Bamboo Airways.

Each airline has its own choice, and every choice is right based on its situation and priorities.

We would like to give no comments and respect every airline’s decision.

However, my only choice is prioritizing our country’s benefits more than anything else. Especially during these 2 weeks in the fight against Covid-19.

❓ When will Bamboo Airways operate commercial flights as usual?

👉 Bamboo Airways maintains carrying out the one-way charter flights for Vietnamese leaving Vietnam, and no passenger in the return flight if receiving agreement from authorities.

On 31 March, we will carry out one flight bringing Lithuanian citizens leaving Vietnam, according to the recommendations from the European Union, the Lithuanian government, the Vietnamese government. The return flight will not carry out passengers.

Bamboo Airways will consider bringing passengers to Vietnam on the charter flights after the Covid-19 prevention peak, around 15 April, based on Prime Minister and the real situation in Vietnam at that time.