Long Thanh airport project faces shortage of 2,000 workers

The Long Thanh International Airport project in the southern province of Dong Nai is still short nearly 2,000 workers compared to actual requirements during its final acceleration phase.

Several units have mobilized military forces to support the construction site, while the airport has been ordered for completion by the end of the year.

According to the investor, Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), overall project completion has now reached more than 76%. On site, contractors are simultaneously organizing three shifts and four crews, in response to a 180-day emulation campaign to accelerate progress and ensure timely completion according to the plan.

The construction site currently maintains over 6,800 direct workers, an increase of more than 6.5% compared to the end of May. However, the project is still short nearly 2,000 personnel, mainly skilled technical workers and specialized equipment operators.

Nguyen Duc Hung, acting CEO of ACV, stated that the project developer is requesting contractors to fully supplement, and even exceed, the required workforce to enable around-the-clock construction.

Priority is being given to completing key components early to minimize the impact of the rainy season. Several critical items are showing positive progress, including the completion of the tunnel system, full electricity supply for construction activities, and only seven remaining beam segments of the viaduct in front of the terminal.

During a Friday inspection, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh emphasized the guiding principle of “no delay in schedule; racing against time.” He instructed relevant units to review all construction volumes and payment documentation, while also paying attention to supporting and motivating engineers and workers working on-site day and night.

For finishing works, the minister required synchronization between construction and landscape development. Completed areas must be cleaned thoroughly, and grass and trees should be planted immediately during the rainy season to improve the project’s appearance.

He also suggested that ACV and contractors coordinate with military forces to assist in site cleanup, landscaping, and tree planting. Minh requested maximum acceleration of construction progress of internal airport transport routes - critical components for the airport’s synchronized operation.

For the viaduct in front of the terminal, contractors must increase manpower, reallocate supporting staff, and speed up finishing works after the main structural components are completed. “If necessary, we must work day and night to catch up with the schedule,” the minister said.

On the same day, during a working session with the Standing Board of Dong Nai provincial Party Committee, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung directed Dong Nai to closely coordinate with relevant agencies to immediately resolve technical and legal issues, ensuring the airport becomes operational by the end of 2026.

“This is a non-negotiable requirement,” the cabinet leader stressed, urging acceleration of strategic transport infrastructure projects such as the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway, Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3, the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau railway line, and domestic connection routes to Long Thanh airport to maximize the project’s operational efficiency.

Long Thanh International Airport, about 40 kilometers east of Ho Chi Minh City, is a mega project with a total investment of VND336.63 trillion ($14.12 billion) divided into three phases.

Phase 1, with a total investment of nearly VND110 trillion ($4.18 billion), is scheduled for implementation from 2020 to 2026. Once phase one is completed, the terminal will have a capacity of 25 million passengers per year and handle 1.2 million tons of cargo annually.

Phase 2, scheduled by 2035, will expand capacity to 50 million passengers and 1.5 million tons of cargo by adding a second runway and terminal.

In the final phase, Long Thanh is expected to reach full operational capacity of 100 million passengers and five million tons of cargo per year by 2050.

The first passenger flights touched down at Long Thanh International Airport on December 19, 2025, marking the inaugural civil aviation operation at Vietnam’s largest airport.