New airport to be built in Vietnam Central Highlands province

Mang Den Airport in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum is set to be built under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with total investment of nearly VND5 trillion ($196.8 million) for the first phase.

This is stated in a proposal by the Ministry of Transport to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, seeking to have Mang Den Airport added to the national airport development plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision until 2050.

Accordingly, the airport will cover 350 hectares in Kon Plong district’s Mang Den township, approximately 45 km northeast of Kon Tum town, 73 km northeast of Pleiku Airport in Gia Lai province, 105 km northwest of Phu Cat Airport in Binh Dinh province, and 93 km southwest of Chu Lai Airport in Quang Nam province.

It is designed to have an annual capacity of 1 million passengers by 2030, with anticipated further expansion. It will be classified as a 4C airport, in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

Of the estimated total investment of VND5 trillion for the first phase, VND327 billion ($12.9 million), or 6.6%, will be for land clearance, and about VND4.6 trillion (93.4%) for project implementation. The project is expected to reach the break-even point in approximately 48.4 years.

According to the transport ministry, the construction of Mang Den Airport is in line with the national and provincial planning schemes, as well as the master plan for the Mang Den tourism area, all approved by the Prime Minister.

The airport is expected to play a key role in the development of the Mang Den tourism area, boosting the local economy, it added.

According to the national airport development plan, Vietnam aims to expand its network of airports from 22 to 30 by 2030, and 33 by 2050.

On the list of the 30 airports until 2030, the 14 international gateways are Van Don (in Quang Ninh province), Cat Bi (Hai Phong city), Noi Bai (Hanoi), Tho Xuan (Thanh Hoa province), Vinh (Nghe An province), Phu Bai (Thua Thien-Hue province), Danang (Danang city), Chu Lai (Quang Nam province), Cam Ranh (Khanh Hoa province), Lien Khuong (Lam Dong province), Long Thanh (in Dong Nai near HCMC), Tan Son Nhat (HCMC), Can Tho (Can Tho city), and Phu Quoc (Phu Quoc island).

The 16 domestic airports on the list are Lai Chau (Lai Chau province), Dien Bien (Lai Chau province), Sapa (Lao Cai province), Na San (Son La province), Dong Hoi (Quang Binh province), Quang Tri (Quang Tri province), Phu Cat (Binh Dinh province), Tuy Hoa (Phu Yen province), Pleiku (Gia Lai province), Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak province), Phan Thiet (Binh Thuan province), Rach Gia (Kien Giang province), Ca Mau (Ca Mau province), Con Dao (Con Dao island), Thanh Son (Ninh Thuan province), and Bien Hoa (Dong Nai province).

For a vision to 2050, the total is 33 (14 international airports and 19 domestic terminals). This means there will be three more domestic ones, namely Cao Bang, Cat Bi, and South Hanoi. Notably, among the 14 international airports, Hai Phong Airport will replace the existing Cat Bi Airport.