Hanoi, 14 February 2020 - At Noi Bai International Airport, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Anh – a Member of Party Central Committee cum Chairman of the Committee for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises - under the Prime Minister’s authorization - awarded a certificate of merit to the Vietnam Airlines flight crew conducting the flight to/from Wuhan on the 9^th and 10^th of February.

Fifteen crew members were selected by Vietnam Airlines from nearly 100 volunteer pilots, flight attendants, technicians, and ground service staff members to undertake this mission. The flight crew consisted of two operating experts, three pilots, five flight attendants, two technicians, and three ground service staff members. In addition to the flight crew, ground units also participated to closely monitor and give the flight priority to adhere to the schedule strictly.

Within nine hours from the evening of the 9^th to the morning of the 10^th of February, Vietnam Airlines’ flight crew and ground units successfully completed their tasks to bring Chinese citizens and Vietnamese citizens back home; transport medical equipment and supplies from the Vietnamese Government, its people, and the Red Cross Society to the Chinese Government and its people; along with transporting Vietnam Airlines’ medical supplies to support Chinese airlines.

Upon completion of the journey, the flight crew coming back from Wuhan was immediately quarantined per the guidance of the Ministry of Health and has continued to receive regular health checks. All the members are in stable health condition.

First Officer Duong Trung Dung - the youngest member of the crew said: “This mission is a duty tasked to the national flag carrier, but when it comes to pilots, it is their willing spirit that made this possible. As a pilot of Vietnam Airlines, I am well aware of my responsibility to the Group, the country, and the people. It reminds me of the first lesson we were taught: A pilot is also a soldier - always ready to answer the call of the country.”

Chief purser Le Dung said: “Many people volunteered to serve this flight. However, the Group’s priority was to select flight attendants who have a wealth of flight experience and the added ability to speak Chinese.”

“The flight attendant team was selected from more than 33 flight attendants who had volunteered. Although we were not permitted to eat, drink, or use the restroom for nine hours, we were very happy to contribute to the success of this special flight,” said Mr. Pham Hai Bang - another chief purser of the flight.

As the national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines - in addition to ensuring aviation safety and business efficiency - is relegated by the Party and the State to carry out political duties, and perform national defense and security operations, and to serve the people. Over the past 25 years, the airline has continually prioritized investment in a modern fleet of varied aircraft types and has developed highly specialized human resources across all facets of operation in order to maintain thorough preparation - ready to take on and complete any assigned task safely and effectively.

About Vietnam Airlines:

Vietnam Airlines – a member of SkyTeam Alliance – is the flag carrier of Vietnam and a top carrier in Southeast Asia, operating 97 routes to 18 domestic and 35 international destinations with an average of 400 daily flights. Vietnam Airlines is the first airline in the world to successfully operate both next-generation aircraft Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A350-900 XWB simultaneously.

Skytrax – the world’s leading airline and airport rating organization – has ranked Vietnam Airlines as a 4-Star Airline for four consecutive years. Vietnam Airlines has spearheaded Vietnam’s aviation market – one of the fastest-growing domestic markets in the world – throughout 20 years of development at a double-digit annual growth rate. Positioning itself as a modern and digital airline with an internationally recognizable brand, Vietnam Airlines aims to be designated as a 5-star, leading Asian airline.