`This is a disaster not only for Malaysia Airlines, but also for the entire world aviation industry,` Mr. Vo Huy Cuong, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Aviation Administration, commented to VnExpress today.
This morning, the Director of Vietnam Aviation sent a letter of condolences to the Director of the Malaysian Civil Aviation Department for the great loss after the crash of flight MH17.
Currently, Vietnam Airlines has flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to 4 cities in Europe: London, Paris, Moscow and Frankfurt.
To ensure absolute safety for flight operations, on the morning of July 18, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam directed Vietnam Airlines to review all flights from Vietnam to Europe and vice versa to plan flights to avoid flights.
`The application for a flight permit went smoothly, because Ukraine’s neighboring countries also created conditions for international aviation when the above incident occurred,` the Deputy Director added.
Since early this morning, Vietnam’s air traffic agencies and Vietnam Airlines have adjusted flight routes to avoid dangerous areas in Ukrainian airspace.
Vietnam’s international airports are assigned to strengthen monitoring of flight planning and promptly advise and guide airlines submitting plans to Europe to avoid Ukraine’s flight information zones.
In addition, the Northern and Southern airport authorities are directed to inspect and supervise the preparation, reception and issuance of flight plans from Vietnam to Europe to ensure that flight crews are informed of the situation.
A source from the National Airlines said that immediately after being informed about the Malaysia Airlines flight having an accident in Ukraine, the airline stopped 4 flights to Europe scheduled to take off from 11:00 p.m. on July 17 (local time).
The flight stop is to re-adjust the flight route and ask for permission.
The Vietnam Aviation Administration sent a letter of condolence to the Malaysian aviation authority, after the tragedy with MH17.
Also last night, Ukraine proactively closed its airspace, so circling flights will continue to be performed by Vietnam Airlines until further notice.
Currently, Vietnam Airlines has direct flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to 4 cities in Europe including Paris, Moscow, London and Frankfurt.
On July 17, Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flight MH17 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Kuala Lumpur crashed in Ukraine.