By 2030, there would be 28 airports around the country, helping 95 percent of the population access an airport within 100km from their residence.
This is highlighted in a draft master plan on development of airports nationwide during 2021-30, with a vision toward 2050, recently submitted by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) to the Prime Minister for approval.
As per the draft, the MOT would gradually upgrade and effectively exploit 22 existing airports, prioritizing airports that play the role of major transport hubs like Noi Bai airport in Hanoi and Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City. At the same time, six new airports, namely Long Thanh, Na San, Lai Chau, Sa Pa, Quang Tri, and Phan Thiet, will be built in Dong Nai, Son La, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Quang Tri, and Binh Thuan provinces. Once the investment is completed, the country would have a total of 28 airports, including 14 international ones, with a total designed capacity of serving about 283 million of passenger arrivals.
The location of the Hai Phong international airport in Tien Lang district, Hai Phong city, would be kept unchanged as it was approved by the Prime Minister in 2011. Meanwhile, the construction of airports on islands such as Ly Son and Phu Quy in Quang Ngai and Binh Thuan provinces would be studied and reported to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision.
According to the MOT’s calculations, the capital demand for investment in the airport system by 2030 would reach about VND 400 trillion (USD 17.6 million), accounting for about 22 percent of the investment capital demand of the whole transport sector, and be mobilized from the state budget, non-budget capital and other lawful sources.
In the 2030-50 period, three more new domestic airports would be built, including Cao Bang, Cat Bi and another airport located in the southeast of the capital.- (VLLF)
