The two airlines plan to begin offering more domestic routes from April 16, following the scheduled ending of the national social distancing campaign.

Reuters reports that Bamboo will resume its Hanoi–Saigon route on Thursday, while other routes will come online on the 20th of April.

VietJet will restart many domestic routes on Thursday as well, though this depends on whether the social distancing regulations will end on Wednesday, a decision expected later today. VnExpress adds that VietJet operated three Hanoi–Saigon flights each on April 11 and 12, as well as today.

Vietnam Airlines, meanwhile, is considering offering its Hanoi–Saigon flight schedule again, in addition to other potential routes.

If these services resume on Thursday, the airlines will maintain stringent protective measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including requiring passengers and crew members to maintain a safe distance from each other when boarding and sitting in the aircraft.

Passengers will also be required to check in online, submit a health report, wash their hands regularly, and wear a face mask and gloves, the news source reports.

Airlines will refuse boarding to anyone who does not have a health report, has symptoms such as a fever, or has recently traveled through an epidemic area, though it is unclear which areas that includes.

Almost all domestic routes have been suspended since April 1, when the national social distancing campaign began. Since then, according to VnExpress, there have been only two daily Hanoi–Saigon flights, as well as one Hanoi–Da Nang and one Saigon–Da Nang flight.

Last week, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long suggested that the campaign should be extended.

[Photo via Flickr user Karen Chen]