Hanoi, 6 May 2020 – On the 5^th and 6^th of May 2020, Vietnam Airlines has cooperated with Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Vietnam in France, and relevant authorities to operate a repatriation flight from Paris (France) to Van Don (Vietnam).Flight VN18 repatriated 240 Vietnamese nationals, consisting of mostly children under 18 (some children under 14), the elderly, people with  medical conditions, and students without accommodation due to dormitory closure.

Previously, Flight VN19 from Hanoi to Paris repatriated nearly 200 French citizens. The flight also carried medical equipment and supplies from the Government and People of Vietnam to the Government and People of France, which were delivered free of charge.

Both flights were operated on Airbus A350 aircraft. Services provided to passengers strictly followed pandemic prevention and control regulations. Particularly, hot meals were not served during these 12-hour flights to limit the possibilities of infection via reusable items. All members of the flight crew were equipped with complete medical protective gear.

Right after Flight VN18 from Paris landed in Vietnam, passengers went into quarantine and had their health status monitored per the regulations. The aircraft was thoroughly disinfected, from the cockpit to the passenger cabin.

Under the Prime Minister’s direction, the competent authorities are continuing to review, propose solutions, and cooperate with Vietnam Airlines to bring Vietnamese nationals stranded in foreign countries home, thereby ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately, and concentrated quarantine sites are adequately positioned to receive more people.