US authorities to evaluate aviation security of Vietnam Airlines

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will make evaluation of aviation security work in Vietnam serving regular operations of Vietnam Airlines, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) said in a report sent to the Transport Ministry.

The CAAV said it has received a notice from the US Embassy in Vietnam and the TSA Chief Representative for Vietnam on the plan of aviation security evaluation and supervision over Vietnam Airlines.

As scheduled, three aviation security supervisors of TSA will arrive in Vietnam in two phases to assess security conditions at terminals to serve Vietnam Airlines' direct flights to the US, namely Noi Bai International Airport from December 2-7 and Tan Son Nhat International Airport from December 8-13. They will also examine security work of Vietnam Airlines and a number of businesses providing aircraft maintenance and repair services as well as airplane equipment to Vietnam Airlines.

The evaluation is part of final steps for US authorised agencies to issue a permit for Vietnam Airlines to operate direct regular commercial flights between Vietnam and the US.

The TSA officially confirmed that Vietnam Airlines meets all security requirements to operate a regular commercial direct flights to the US from October 25.

Dinh Viet Son, Vice Director of the CAAV said that authorised agencies of Vietnam are working hard to support Vietnam Airlines and other airlines to operate direct flights to the US.

Vietnam Airlines plans to launch the first regular commercial flight from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to San Francisco in late November after getting the US permit.

Another Vietnamese airlines – Bamboo Airways – is also taking steps towards operating regular flights on direct route between Vietnam and the US./.