A passenger from Tokyo tested for SARS-CoV-2 at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) wants
arriving passengers tested for SARS-CoV-2 following the prior to their flight, removing the additional need for rapid testing as well.
They
say the proposal is in line with common practice around the world.
Only
last week, the CAAV wanted passengers to take both tests, but now they are
happy with allowing people to fly, as long as they have a negative RT-PCR test.
The
suggestion was presented in the CAAV’s report to the Ministry of Transport on
the initial resumption of regular international flights in Vietnam, which
started from January 1.
CAAV
Deputy Director Dinh Viet Son said that the authority has been receiving feedback
from Vietnamese and international airlines on requirements before
and after boarding the plane, testing fee collection, and health declarations.
In
particular, the procedure says that airlines collect rapid testing fees along
with the airfares, then send the payment to testing units.
Cathay
Pacific and Turkish Airlines have suggested that Tan Son Nhat International
Airport in HCM City set up collection points or an online gateway for
testing fee payments like other airports, as the airlines cannot assist with
this process.
Meanwhile,
Singapore Airlines observed that there still lacks comprehensive and detailed
instructions on the rapid testing procedure and fee collection. The airline
said that an online payment service will allow incoming arrivals to pay the
testing fee before their flights, which has been common practice around the
world.
Bamboo
Airways also noted that the rapid testing procedure after the flight often
lasts around three hours, while Vietnam’s Health Ministry still requires valid
RT-PCR test results during check-in.
Passengers
have been complaining that multiple tests increase the costs, and asked whether
they could perform at-home quick tests or must go to the designated testing
points at the airport.
Vietjet
Air also said that following the current regulations, passengers have to submit
the entry declaration on the website IGOVN,
the health declaration on the PC-COVID application, and possibly another
locally-required form, an example being HCM City and its website www.antoan-covid.tphcm.gov.vn.
Therefore,
the airline recommended that one single form be used to submit the required
declarations. It also shares the same opinion as other airlines on scraping
rapid testing requirements in favour of valid RT-PCR test results.
Air
carriers also suggest that based on the flight schedule, airports should work
with testing units to ensure a sufficient number of testing points and medical
workers to avoid congestion when there are more flights coming in.
On
this basis, the CAAV proposed to only require RT-PCR test results. This
practice has long been adopted by other countries, even during the emergence of
the Delta variant.
In
the case where rapid testing is still required, the CAAV suggested that fees should
be collected on the spot at the testing points, and international aircrews are
tested only once upon arrival while waiting for their returning flight (at the
airport or at quarantine accommodation)./.
Source: VietnamPlus
