Russian flag carrier Aeroflot is set to resume regular flights between Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and Russia’s Moscow from January 31, 2024.
In an announcement on Friday, the carrier noted the flights will depart from Sheremetyevo Airport twice a week. Ho Chi Minh City is close to famous tourism beach destinations in Vietnam, such as Long Hai, Phan Thiet, Mui Ne, and Phu Quoc island, the airline said.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia was among Vietnam's biggest foreign arrival markets with 1.47 million travelers and 18,700 tons of cargo in 2019, up 20% and 50% year-on-year, respectively.
However, after the pandemic and due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Vietnam’s flag carrier Vietnam Airlines halted the Hanoi-Moscow route in March 2022. Vietnam Airlines was the only Vietnamese carrier operating Vietnam-Russia direct flights at the time.
Vietnam welcomed 11.2 million foreign tourists in the first 11 months of this year, nearly quadruple year-on-year, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism. The figure included 111,719 Russians, up 276.9% year-on-year.
In early December, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) gave Aeroflot the go-ahead to restart Vietnam-Russia direct flights. Initially, the CAAV’s approval will allow Aeroflot to fly one Boeing B777 and eight Airbus A330 aircraft. The CAAV will consider Aeroflot’s application for one more Airbus A330 and 18 Boeing B777 at a later date.