A repatriation flight conducted by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on August 28 saw 340 Vietnamese citizens successfully brought home from Australia, New Zealand, and Tonga.

The flight had been specially arranged by Vietnamese authorities, Vietnamese representative agencies in Australia and New Zealand, Vietnam Airlines, in addition to relevant agencies based in the host countries.

The majority of passengers onboard the flight were minors under the age of 18, the elderly, people suffering from underlying health problems, students with no accommodation, and individuals facing challenging circumstances. 

Ahead of departure, Vietnamese representative agencies dispatched staff to the various airports as a means of assisting citizens with necessary procedures before they boarded the plane.

As a means of halting the potential spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) during the flight, a range of disease prevention measures were taken and employed throughout the journey. In addition, upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, all members of the flight crew and passengers received heath checkups and were immediately placed into quarantine in line with regulations regarding COVID-19 prevention and control.

Moving forward, additional repatriation flights are set to be conducted in the future with the aim of bringing Vietnamese citizens home, with the schedule likely to depend on both demand and the quarantine capacity within the country.