Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) wantsarriving passengers tested for SARS-CoV-2 following the RT-PCR method prior to their flight, removing the additional need for rapid testing as well. 

Theysay the proposal is in line with common practice around the world.

Onlylast week, the CAAV wanted passengers to take both tests, but now they arehappy with allowing people to fly, as long as they have a negative RT-PCR test.

Thesuggestion was presented in the CAAV’s report to the Ministry of Transport onthe initial resumption of regular international flights in Vietnam, whichstarted from January 1.

CAAVDeputy Director Dinh Viet Son said that the authority has been receiving feedbackfrom Vietnamese and international airlines on rapid testing requirements beforeand after boarding the plane, testing fee collection, and health declarations.

Inparticular, the procedure says that airlines collect rapid testing fees alongwith the airfares, then send the payment to testing units. 

CathayPacific and Turkish Airlines have suggested that Tan Son Nhat InternationalAirport in HCM City set up collection points or an online gateway fortesting fee payments like other airports, as the airlines cannot assist withthis process.

Meanwhile,Singapore Airlines observed that there still lacks comprehensive and detailedinstructions on the rapid testing procedure and fee collection. The airlinesaid that an online payment service will allow incoming arrivals to pay thetesting fee before their flights, which has been common practice around theworld.

BambooAirways also noted that the rapid testing procedure after the flight oftenlasts around three hours, while Vietnam’s Health Ministry still requires validRT-PCR test results during check-in. 

Passengershave been complaining that multiple tests increase the costs, and asked whetherthey could perform at-home quick tests or must go to the designated testingpoints at the airport. 

VietjetAir also said that following the current regulations, passengers have to submitthe entry declaration on the website IGOVN,the health declaration on the PC-COVID application, and possibly anotherlocally-required form, an example being HCM City and its website www.antoan-covid.tphcm.gov.vn.

Therefore,the airline recommended that one single form be used to submit the requireddeclarations. It also shares the same opinion as other airlines on scrapingrapid testing requirements in favour of valid RT-PCR test results.

Aircarriers also suggest that based on the flight schedule, airports should workwith testing units to ensure a sufficient number of testing points and medicalworkers to avoid congestion when there are more flights coming in. 

Onthis basis, the CAAV proposed to only require RT-PCR test results. Thispractice has long been adopted by other countries, even during the emergence ofthe Delta variant. 

Inthe case where rapid testing is still required, the CAAV suggested that fees shouldbe collected on the spot at the testing points, and international aircrews aretested only once upon arrival while waiting for their returning flight (at theairport or at quarantine accommodation)./.