VNA upgraded the level of epidemic prevention and enhanced passenger support. (Photo: provided by VNA) From May 11, Vietnam Airlines (VNA) will raise the standard of epidemic prevention and control to level 2 on a 4-level scale for all domestic flights; increase resources to support passengers in case the operation plan is changed due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic. The main measures implemented by VNA to ensure disease safety include strict inspection of medical declaration and temperature measurement of passengers before the flight; refuse to transport passengers with abnormal health symptoms; install disinfection mats at the boarding gate; arrange flight crews to move within the airport and between the airport – city by separate vehicles; ensure that passengers and crew wear masks throughout the journey; provide antibacterial towels to passengers on the flight; disinfect the aircraft at the end of the day and periodically maintain the HEPA air filter. Facing the complicated development of the epidemic, VNA also adjusted the flight schedule of domestic and international flights. Passengers can consult the flight schedule and check the flight status themselves on the airline’s website. For passengers whose flights are affected, the airline makes every effort to ensure that all passengers are promptly notified of the flight schedule change via text, email or direct call. In order to support passengers who need to change or refund tickets due to the impact of the epidemic, from May 10, VNA has implemented a support policy for tickets purchased in the Vietnamese market and has a completely domestic itinerary. . Passengers can refer to the ticket exchange and refund policy at the airline’s website. In order to save time for passengers, VNA has implemented a feature to help passengers actively cancel their seats, change tickets and refund tickets to vouchers right on the website, in the booking management section located on the homepage. VNA notes that passengers do not plan to take the booked flight, before conducting the procedures for ticket exchange or refund, passengers need to cancel the booked seat to avoid losing the no-show fee. Valid cancellation time is at least 3 hours before the departure time indicated on the ticket. In particular, VNA is free to refund tickets for passengers who choose to exchange vouchers with 100% of the refund value. This voucher can be used to buy airline tickets, checked baggage and other additional services of the airline. During this time, due to the high demand for flight changes, VNA has arranged more resources to respond to messages, calls and emails sent to customer care, but the response time to passengers is limited. may be slower than usual.

Proactive technology In Vietnam, since 2018, many localities have demonstrated the use of MBKNL in fertilizing and spraying pesticides for agricultural production. However, the results of using MBKNL in the field lack the stability, the accuracy of the equipment is not as expected, especially in the context that the current pesticides are mainly used for traditional spraying equipment, with the amount of mixed water many times higher … Facing this situation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Defense assigned the National Center for Agricultural Promotion (NNNN) to co-ordinate with the Plant Protection Institute, Hoa Lac High Tech Research and Application Institute and its management unit. The Ministry of Defense carried out the task of “Completing the technical process of using unmanned aircraft (UAV) – HLD18 spraying pesticides on rice plants”. Close-up of the HLD18 drone and the field of Truc Hung commune (Truc Ninh, Nam Dinh) – where the demonstration of aircraft spraying pesticides. Photo: MN Close-up of unmanned HLD18. “If we use the manual method to spray pesticides a day, 3 people can only spray 20 samples. But now with this aircraft, we no longer have the trouble of spraying pesticides, the productivity is significantly increased.” . Farmer Nguyen Van Phong (Truc Hung commune, Truc Ninh district, Nam Dinh) Mr. Le Quoc Thanh – Director of VNA, said that this device is made in Vietnam, so we have complete mastery of technology, software, hardware and warranty, training “pilot” to transfer to units, cooperation groups, agricultural services … Especially HLD18 equipment ensures security and defense as well as the issue of licensing flight zones for equipment. To evaluate the results of the trial using MBKNL HLD18 to spray pesticides on rice plants, VNA recently held a demonstration conference on using MBKNL HLD18 in Truc Ninh district, Nam Dinh province. In the experimental field, the participants and farmers witnessed the “pilots” in the flight control technology demonstration service group HLD18 spraying pesticides with different flight speeds at different formulas. Experimental results show that using HLD18 aircraft helps to reduce 5% of the input pesticide, and 5-10% of water. The use of airplanes helps to control rice diseases effectively by quickly suppressing epidemics and saves time for pest management, and at the same time reduces rice yield loss by 1-2% / ha compared to spraying pine usually because rice is not trampled during the spraying process. The amount of pesticides sprayed by MBKNL on the soil and water at the initial stage of rice plant development has not changed compared with the traditional method. However, to a later period, the amount of pesticides on rice plants is higher due to the decrease of spraying in the environment. The working capacity of an aircraft HLD 18 ranges from 10-20ha / day. Replication At the seminar, Mr. Le Quoc Thanh – Director of NTPPR shared: “From practice, the biggest effect of the model is to isolate farmers from pesticides, thereby helping to protect people’s health and The machine helps to increase working efficiency, not to be afraid of the terrain, save water and drugs, and increase production efficiency “. Farmers and delegates visited the rice growing model using HLD18 drones in Truc Hung commune (Truc Ninh, Nam Dinh) Also at the conference, VNA awarded certificates to 18 trainees trained to control MBKNL HLD18. In addition to the above advantages, through the specialized agency model, the operator is also trained to use MBKNL equipment to serve farmers. The initial achieved results will serve as the basis for Nam Dinh province in particular and the Red River delta provinces to organize the replication, contributing to increase the rate of technology use in the field. As a unit with more than 700ha of area for cultivating hybrid rice varieties, Mr. Lam Van Chieu – Deputy Director of Cuong Tan Co., Ltd. (Truc Ninh, Nam Dinh) said, Cuong Tan is the coordinator of the project NN- 08II. In the process of implementing the project, the company sent staff to participate in the control engineering class MBKNL HLD18. “After more than 10 school days, trainees have been practicing directly on the rice fields of Cuong Tan Co., Ltd. and up to now, it can be said that the basic techniques of controlling MBKNL HLD18 to spray pesticides have been proficient “- Mr. Chieu shared. Also at the conference, TTKNQG handed over to Hai Duong Agricultural Extension Center and Cuong Tan Co., Ltd., each unit 3 MBKNL HLD18 for application of pesticide spraying in rice production. Ms. Pham Thi Dao – Director of Hai Duong Agricultural Extension Center said, Hai Duong currently has about 115,000 hectares of rice cultivation. The average rice yield is 745,000 tons / year. With the handover of HLD18 aircraft by VNA, this will be an incentive for farmers to be able to efficiently produce rice, reduce labor, limit exposure to pesticides while ensuring productivity.