Vietnam Airlines launches first London-Hanoi flight after COVID-19 hiatus

Passengers wait to board the plane at Heathrow Airport in the UK. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo 

LONDON — Vietnam Airlines on Tuesday conducted the first regular flight from London to Hà Nội after a gap of almost two years caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

From February 8, the national flag carrier will operate one flight a week every Tuesday on the Hanoi-London route, using wide-body Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 aircraft.

The UK is the 9th international market to which Vietnam Airlines has resumed its regular flights, following the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Taiwan (China) and Australia.

Head of Vietnam Airlines’ branch in the UK Phan Thế Thắng said after the Government gave the green light, the carrier has quickly launched regular flights to the UK and Europe to meet the demand of Vietnamese there to return home for family reunions on the occasion of the Tết (Lunar New Year) festival.

Flight VN18 from London to Hà Nội, which transited through Paris with nearly 300 passengers on board, is scheduled to land at Nội Bài International Airport on Wednesday morning.

The flight is included in the airline’s plan to restore international flights starting from January 1, as approved by the Government.

Nguyễn Hoàng Việt, a passenger on the flight, said the Government’s policy on resuming international flights was timely and a great source of encouragement for Vietnamese abroad who want to return home for Tết.

Nguyễn Thế Hùng, who has lived in the UK for over 20 years, expressed his delight at the Vietnamese Government’s approval of the resumption of flights between Hà Nội and London.

Information on requirements for entry into Việt Nam is available at www.vietnamairlines.com. — VnExpress News