The
aviation industry is proceeding with a series of projects to upgrade and expand
Vietnam's airports in anticipation of the high growth of the domestic aviation
market, estimated at 15% annually between now and 2005 and 9% per year through
2010.By Cao Cuong
Upgrading and modernizing three major airports. According to analysis by the aviation industry, large investments have been poured into modernizing and increasing the capacity of the Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat and Danang airports, the three largest and most important among airports under commercial operations in Vietnam. Construction of the modern T1 passenger terminal in Noi Bai Airport has just been completed, able to receive four million passengers annually. The capacity of Tan Son Nhat Airport has been increased to five million from three million passengers a year and two runways have been upgraded to be able to accommodate all kinds of aircraft.
Since Noi Bai Airport has only one runway, which will be inconvenient when the number of aircraft landings increases, aviation authorities have decided to build another, the 1B. Work on the runway is being accelerated so that it can be completed by July 2003, in time to accommodate more aircraft arrivals during the SEA Games 2003. Another important project is construction of a new cargo terminal to meet the increasing demand for import and export transport. The terminal is scheduled for completion in 2005 when the aviation industry expects to put into operation a fleet of commercial cargo transport aircraft.
Tan Son Nhat Airport is facing imminent overload as the number of passengers is increasing rapidly. Therefore, aviation authorities are urgently preparing plans to build a new terminal capable of receiving seven million passengers a year. The project will cost some US$240 million, with US$200 million provided by Japanese Government credits at a preferential interest rate of 1% per annum. It is due to open in 2006.
Danang, one of the three international airports in Central Vietnam, has two runways capable of receiving various kinds of aircraft but it still lacks a large, modern passenger terminal. According to forecasts by the aviation industry, the aviation market in Central Vietnam will grow with the increase in tourist arrivals and the development of major economic projects in the neighboring regions. To meet the demand, the authorities have submitted to the Government a feasibility study for a modern terminal capable of receiving four million passengers a year. They are seeking funds from various sources to develop the project, estimated to cost US$70 million.
Upgrading Chu Lai and Cam Ranh airports. According to Ms. Nguyen Thanh Ha, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam in charge of planning and investment, a VND60-billion project to upgrade the infrastructure of Chu Lai Airport (building terminals and repairing runways) has been approved. Upon operation in mid 2003, the airport will serve tourists, and experts working in Dung Quat IP and the open economic zone, and the transport of industrial equipment and goods. In the first years of operation, the airport may serve commercial purposes but an appropriate number of flights should be taken into account. For the long-term, the aviation industry is drafting a big, capital extensive plan to develop Chu Lai into a major international airport for better operation in the context of the development of the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone, Dung Quat Petroleum Refinery Complex and neighboring industrial parks.
Aviation authorities are also studying the possibility of commercial operation of Cam Ranh Airport pending the Party and Government top leaders' decision on the operational purpose for the airport.
Other airports. Apart from the major airports mentioned above, Ha says three airports that are considered as having fast development potential in the future are Phu Bai (Hue), Cat Bi (Haiphong) and Lien Khuong (Dalat). These airports do not have international scales but the Government has allowed them to receive foreign aircraft in case of need to serve both domestic and international transport. Phu Bai Airport has already received international flights to serve tourists. However, as the airport has great potential for development, aviation authorities are considering enlarging the terminal.
The authorities are also weighing the possibility of enlarging the runway and terminal of Lien Khuong Airport and the terminal of Cat Bi Airport. A Chinese airline has proposed operating flights to Cat Bi to serve tourists visiting Ha Long Bay.
Another airport under consideration for upgrading is Dien Bien in the northwest region of Vietnam. Lao aviation authorities want to operate flights to Dien Bien to serve tourism and commerce.
Plans for upgrading Ca Mau Airport in the southern tip of Vietnam are also in the pipeline to serve the transport of passengers and export agro and fisheries products.
"Many new red points have been added to the national airport system to prepare for the development of public aviation services in the future. They are essential for the future development of the aviation industry. However, our investment policy is efficiency, no wastefulness and satisfaction of demand," Ha noted