Da Nang International Airport is an important gateway to access central Vietnam

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha recently signed Decision 648/QD-TTg dated June 7, 2023 to approve the master plan for the development of the national airport system in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. This is the recent national sector planning in the transport sector approved by the Government.

Vietnam to have 33 airports by 2050

The plan aims to develop a synchronous, modern airport system to meet transportation needs and catch up with intensive international integration requirements; protect the environment and save resources; ensure national defense and security; improve economic competitiveness and make Vietnam an upper middle-income developing industrial country by 2030.

Airports will serve 275.9 million passengers (accounting for 1.5-2% of the transport market share and 3-4% of the total inter-provincial passenger transport volume) and 4.1 million tons of cargo (accounting for 0.05-0.1% of the market share).

Regarding infrastructure, investment priority will be focused on major airports in Hanoi (Noi Bai International Airport) and Ho Chi Minh City (Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh international airports). New airports will be built to increase the total designed capacity of the airport system to 294.5 million passengers.

Besides, the investment will be funded for synchronous, modern infrastructure systems and flight management equipment to meet transport demands. By 2050, two international air transport hubs of the regional class will be formed in the Hanoi region and the Ho Chi Minh City region. New airports will be constructed and put into operation while existing ones in regional economic centers will be expanded and upgraded to serve socioeconomic development needs.

In the 2021-2030 period, the airport system is planned with a spoke model with two main hubs in the Hanoi region and the Ho Chi Minh City region with 30 airports, including 14 international airports and 16 domestic airports. 33 airports will be established by 2050, including 14 international airports and 19 domestic airports. Among 19 domestic ports, three will be new, including Cat Bi, Cao Bang and the second one in the Hanoi region.

As much as VND420 trillion (US$18.26 billion) will be needed for airport development by 2030, which will be mobilized from the State Budget, the private fund and other legal funding sources.

Ensuring synchronous and efficient connectivity of transport modes

Mr. Dinh Viet Thang, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam under the Ministry of Transport, said the newly approved plan will solve many important issues. In particular, the aviation industry is combined with other industries to ensure synchronous and efficient connectivity of transport modes. Besides, planning the airport network is reasonably based on objective and scientific criteria to satisfy development needs, with local factors taken into account; effectively support emergency and relief work; and synchronously connect with other modes of transport.

According to the plan, Vietnam will focus on building new airports or expanding important international airports like Long Thanh, Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc. In addition, the country will build new airports or expand existing ones in deep-lying, remote, mountainous and island areas; airports with regular military activity; and other airports to satisfy socioeconomic development needs.

The plan will also help develop multimodal transport and logistics service centers at busy airports. By 2030, over 95% of the population will be able to reach at least one airport within a 100 km radius. By 2050, about 97% of the population will be able to do so.

Besides, to ensure synchronous and efficient connectivity of transport modes, the plan also requires arranging logistics centers at airports that need to handle over 250,000 tons of cargo a year; arranging flight training centers at busy airports, which are more than 50km from the border area. Priority will be given to Chu Lai, Rach Gia and Ca Mau airports.

Furthermore, if needed, aircraft maintenance and repair centers will be built at airports, with priority given to major airports like Noi Bai, Da Nang, Tan Son Nhat, Chu Lai, Cam Ranh, Can Tho and Long Thanh. A major regional repair center will be constructed at Chu Lai Airport.

Along with four approved national sector plans prepared by the Ministry of Transport, the master plan on national airport system development for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, is expected to help complete the synchronous, modern transport infrastructure system to facilitate economic development and investment attraction.