The airline said in a statement that it was currently operating 17 flights a day between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and in the second half of this month it will increase this to 23.

It will also add more flights this month Hanoi and HCMC to Da Nang City, and from HCMC to Phu Quoc Island, Hai Phong City and Thanh Hoa Province.

Jetstar Pacific, the low cost arm of Vietnam Airlines, resumed its flights from HCMC to Da Nang City and other destinations Thursday.

All domestic flights of the two airlines are set to be resumed next month under management of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

The Vietnam Airlines Group reported a loss of over VND2.6 trillion ($110 million) in the first quarter as the Covid-19 pandemic severely impacted the aviation industry.

On Thursday, Vietnam lifted restrictions on the number of flights between Hanoi, HCMC and Da Nang City. Passengers are no longer required to sit one seat away from each other, but still need to wear face masks and keep a distance of one meter from each other during flight procedures.

The number of flights by local carriers dropped by up to 85 percent year-on-year in the March 18 – April 19 period, according to the CAAV.

Last year, domestic airlines served 55.3 million passengers, up 11 percent year-on-year, General Statistics Office data shows.