The amendments aim to align Thai aviation regulations with international safety standards, including those set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, and will apply to both domestic and international air carriers.

Domestic air carriers said they will operate about 33,800 flights during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, or between January 24 and February 2, up 14% year-on-year and 21% as compared with normal days.

Air carriers said they are prepared for busy end-of-year holiday travel as the 2024 Lunar New Year (Tet) is approaching.

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

Vietnamese airports served 188,000 passengers in April, a decline of a record 98 percent year-on-year, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has reported.

The United States’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to grant a Category 1 rating to Vietnam soon, allowing its airlines to fly to the US and codeshare with US carriers, according to the Strait Times.