Up to more than 200 airplanes have been left unused at Vietnamese airports as local airlines have had to restrict flights due to the worsening Covid-19 epidemic.

The aviation and transport sector are facing a range of challenges in the time ahead caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, with many being in need of urgent assistance from the government in order to restore production and business.

Airlines in Vietnam are looking at ways to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak after seeing declining passenger numbers.

The limit for foreign investors’ ownership in Vietnamese air transport businesses will be increased to 34 per cent from the current 30 per cent, according to a prime minister’s decree signed last week.

The Ministry of Finance has announced a requirement for local carriers to quote fares that include all taxes and fees. The move is expected to end disputes among local airlines over ways of quoting airfares.

Five domestic airlines reported 3,933 delayed flights in July, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

Opportunities and challenges when opening Vietnam-US direct flights was the main topic for discussion at a recent seminar in Hanoi.

 The local aviation sector has achieved impressive growth, but its infrastructure has not kept up with the nation’s overall development, said an official from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, at a workshop in Binh Dinh on April 11.