Part of the passenger terminal and the air traffic control tower at Long Thanh International Airport. (Photo: VNA)

Contractors are stepping up work on key construction packages at Long Thanh International Airport, with priority given to completing the passenger terminal – the project's central component – to support trial operations from September ahead of commercial service later this year.

According to ACV, construction of the passenger terminal has reached nearly 70% of the total contract value, while civil works alone are almost 80% complete.

The reinforced concrete structure, including the basement and four above-ground floors, along with the steel roof framework and roofing system, has been completed. Contractors are now focusing on installing the skylight roof, completing interior works and landscaping, with the goal of substantially finishing the terminal by September.

Terminal equipment, considered the most critical element for trial operations, is also making steady progress. Installation of the baggage handling system (BHS), steel floor structures and the ICS conveyor system has been completed. Contractors are now conducting inspections and functional tests before the system is put into operation.

For the checked baggage screening system, 52 of the 53 planned units have been delivered to the site, equivalent to 98% of the total. Ten explosive detection system (EDS) scanners have been installed and connected to the ICS conveyor system on the second floor, while all 19 customs baggage scanners for arriving passengers have been installed. Additional screening equipment is being installed at check-in islands on the third floor.

The carry-on baggage screening system has also made significant progress, with 214 of the planned 257 units delivered, representing 84% of the total, and dozens of machines already installed.

Installation of passenger boarding bridges has been largely completed, with contractors carrying out electrical connections, control integration and trial runs. All 130 visual docking guidance system (VDGS) units have been delivered and inspected, and installation is underway. Contractors are also accelerating the installation of escalators, moving walkways and elevators after delivering most of the required materials and equipment.

The ACV said Component Project 3, which covers essential aviation facilities, has reached nearly 80% of the total signed contract value. Major construction packages have achieved around 70% completion.

Key infrastructure, including the airport's connecting roads, the first runway, taxiways and aircraft aprons, has been largely completed. Concrete works on the second runway have also been finished, and installation of equipment will begin shortly. The airport's fuel supply system is more than 80% complete, while work is continuing on internal roads, the airport management system and Cargo Terminal No. 1.

Three rounds of trial operations are scheduled between September and November. Meanwhile, relevant agencies will coordinate inspections, calibration and certification procedures to ensure the airport meets operational requirements before commercial services begin later this year.

Long Thanh International Airport is a national key infrastructure project and is expected to become a major aviation hub, helping ease congestion at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and enhancing the Southeast region's position on the global aviation map.