Vietnam Airlines is to restart nonstop commercial flights between Vietnam and Japan although the services will only be available for passengers traveling to Tokyo.

The Vietnamese flag-carrier will offer four one-way flights to Tokyo’s Narita Airport (NRT), departing Hanoi (HAN) on Sept. 18, 25 and 30, and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) on Sept. 30. All services will be on board Boeing 787 aircraft.

The airline said the flights are intended to “serve the increasing needs of passengers wishing to work, study and stay in Japan.”

“The airline also plans to resume return flights from Japan to Vietnam, pending actual disease developments and the approval from the relevant authorities,” Vietnam Airlines added.

In addition, the carrier is “building a plan” to resume routes to Cambodia, China, Laos, South Korea and Taiwan.

“The reinstitution of regular international flights is a positive signal for Vietnam as well as Vietnam Airlines as the pandemic is showing signs of being under control in many countries,” the carrier said.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam Airlines operated 11 routes between Vietnam and Japan, providing 82 weekly frequencies and more than 43,000 two-way seats.

Five daily routes were offered from HAN to Fukuoka (FUK), Osaka Kansai (KIX), Nagoya (NGO), Tokyo Haneda (HND) and NRT, while the airline flew FUK, KIX, NGO and NRT from SGN. Daily flights were also operated from Da Nang (DAD) to KIX and NRT.

Photo credit: Nigel Howarth / Aviation Week