Vietnam will allow airlines to position guards on planes to protect crews and passengers from threats to security and safety of their flights, local newspaper Youth reported Friday.

Under a draft program on ensuring security of the local civil aviation industry, guards will be present on Vietnam's flights like many countries, which require foreign airlines to have guards on flights to the countries, the newspaper quoted Nguyen Van Linh, deputy head of the Aviation Security Department under the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, as saying.

Vietnam Airlines, the national flag carrier, which is making preparations for opening direct routes to the United States, will have to establish air guard forces as stipulated by the United States, he said.

The program is scheduled to be launched on Jan. 1, 2007, coinciding the date of taking effect of Vietnam's Aviation Law.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2006)