Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has asked the Ministry of Transport and the People’s Committee of Quang Nam to adjust a previous plan to upgrade the airport.

It was planned last year that Chu Lai Airport is upgraded to receive international flights and capable of handling 5 million passengers as well as 1.5 million tonnes of cargo annually.

The plan would allow it to receive wide-body aircraft such as Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A380 in 2030.

However, with the government approving another plan to boost Chu Lai Economic Zone’s 2020 economic growth 2.5 times by 2030, the airport will need to be upgraded even further.

The transport ministry and Quang Nam authorities need to select an investor to fund the upgrade. The State budget must not be used for the purpose, Deputy PM Dung said.

Chu Lai Airport, built during the Vietnam War, began commercial operations in 2005. With one terminal, its current capacity is 750,000 passengers a year.

Vietnam has made plans to upgrade existing airports and construct new ones amidst rising air travel demand.

Last year, the country’s 21 state-run airports served 103.5 million passengers, up 11 percent year-on-year, and the figure is set to rise to 112 million this year, according to ACV.