Mega Long Thanh airport should have one more runway in first phase: cabinet

The Long Thanh International Airport in Vietnam's southern province of Dong Nai should have a second runway added to its first phase of construction, increasing the airport’s capacity, says the government.

In a proposal submitted to the National Assembly at its ongoing session on Wednesday, the cabinet recommended that the legislature amend the scale and timeline of the project's first phase.

Accordingly, the airport will have a capacity of 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo per year. Its first phase is set to be completed and put into use by the end of 2026, instead of the end of 2025.

The proposal to add a second runway to phase 1 came after "a careful evaluation" by the state-controlled Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), the project's investor.

Initially, only one runway was planned for the first phase, with the idea that Tan Son Nhat International Airport in nearby Ho Chi Minh City would serve as a backup in case of operational disruptions at Long Thanh.

However, the ACV proposed that the second runway, located just 400 meters to the north of the first, be constructed immediately. It argued such a change would allow for greater operational flexibility, reducing risks of flight delays.

According to the airport operator, Tan Son Nhat International Airport, operating at nearly full capacity with over 41 million passengers in 2023, is expected to serve around 50 million passengers annually by 2030.

With air traffic demand in southern Vietnam projected to reach 71 million passengers per year, adding a second runway to phase 1 would help ease pressure on Tan Son Nhat and ensure uninterrupted service if any issues arise with Long Thanh’s first runway.

“Should an incident occur on the first runway, flights would have to be diverted to Tan Son Nhat, further straining the airport’s capacity. Adding a second runway to phase 1, the government aims to ensure Long Thanh’s operational readiness without a need to redirect flights to the already congested Tan Son Nhat,” noted the proposal.

In addition, the cabinet emphasized that the additional runway could be built at a relatively low cost, estimated at approximately VND3.3 trillion ($130.26 million), since its foundation has already been prepared.

This amount would come from savings from previous tenders and contingency funds, ensuring that the total first-phase budget remains within the approved cap of VND99.02 trillion ($3.9 billion).

Under the current plan, Long Thanh International Airport, about 40 kilometers east of Ho Chi Minh City, has a total investment of VND336.63 trillion ($14.12 billion), divided into three phases.

The first phase will consist of a runway, a terminal and auxiliary facilities that can serve 25 million passengers per year.

The terminal is the largest package in the first phase. Construction of the VND35 trillion ($1.49 billion) terminal commenced on August 31, 2023 and is set to be completed in 39 months. It will cover 150 hectares, featuring one basement, three floors, and 40 aprons.