Vietnam extends halt of domestic ticket sales as infections ease

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has called on the country’s major carriers to stop the sale of domestic flight tickets, as the government drafts a pandemic management plan for transport operators. A CAAV notice issued on 28 September called for the suspension to last “until further notice”, essentially an extension of orders first issued in late-July. “The Ministry of Transport is currently developing a plan to organise passenger transport activities [including aviation, railway, as well as maritime] during the time of…easing of [pandemic] measures,” the CAAV adds, without giving further details. The announcement comes as coronavirus infections in the country — once seen to be managing the pandemic well — dip to a two-month low, after a particularly fatal wave in the middle of the year. As of 28 September, Vietnam reported more than 4,500 new coronavirus infections — the lowest since late-July. Ho Chi Minh City, the epicentre of the latest coronavirus wave in the country, is also set to ease a long-drawn lockdown by the end of September. <br/>