Ministry of Transport gives opinions on 10 localities' proposal to add airports

Regarding the master plan for the development of the national airport system for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the Ministry of Transport has just issued a document reporting on the implementation of the tasks of the Working Group on researching and assessing the overall capacity of civil aviation exploitation at military airports; researching the project of socializing investment under the public-private partnership (PPP) method.

Accordingly, recently, the Ministry of Transport has received proposals from 10 localities to add new airport planning to the airport system planning, including Son La, Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Ha Tinh, Kon Tum, Quang Ngai, Khanh Hoa, Dak Nong, and Tay Ninh.

The Ministry of Transport has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to preside over and coordinate with relevant units to organize work with localities that have proposed to add new airport planning to the airport system planning; and to make a preliminary assessment of the possibility of forming airports in localities.

Vinh International Airport will increase its capacity from 7 to 8 million passengers by 2030. Photo: Thu Huyen

Through the review results, among the 10 locations proposed by localities, 2/10 airport locations (in Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang provinces) are not feasible for arranging runways and designing flight methods due to difficult terrain. However, the units proposed that localities can study other more feasible locations.

There are 8/10 locations that are capable of arranging runways and designing flight procedures, however most of them have conflicts and overlaps in airspace. Some locations require survey data and specific assessments of head clearance and side clearance to assess the leveling and leveling volume and other related data.

"Basically, the proposed locations need to continue to be carefully studied and evaluated in terms of both terrain conditions and airspace organization," the Ministry of Transport assessed.

Based on the results of the work, up to now, the Ministry of Transport has received opinions from 9/10 localities (including Son La, Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Ha Tinh, Quang Ngai, Kon Tum, Dak Nong, Khanh Hoa, Tay Ninh) on the content of supplementing the planning of new airports.

In particular, the People's Committee of Son La province proposed to continue focusing on planning Na San Airport in the airport system planning, and proposed to plan Moc Chau airport in the direction of a specialized airport, serving the goal of tourism development.

Passengers check in at Vinh International Airport. Photo: Thu Huyen

The remaining localities all proposed to supplement the planning of new airports and recommended that localities develop research and development projects for civil airports that meet technical requirements, determine investment roadmaps and resources to ensure feasibility, and serve as a basis for reporting to competent authorities for consideration and decision.

Based on research results and proposals from localities, the Ministry of Transport believes that the need to plan transport infrastructure for socio-economic development of localities is legitimate because these are all provinces with potential for the air transport market.

However, to ensure the feasibility of the planning, it is necessary to continue to research, survey, and evaluate all economic and technical factors. The Ministry of Transport stated that it is necessary to have a consulting unit to ensure complete data.

At the same time, to promote proactiveness and be consistent with the proposals of localities, the Ministry of Transport proposed to report to the Prime Minister to assign the People's Committees of provinces and cities to organize the preparation of a project to assess the planning capacity of airports, including feasibility and efficiency, ensuring the mobilization of capital for investment under the public-private partnership method, and report to the Prime Minister for consideration of supplementing the planning and investing in the construction of airports.

According to the previous proposal of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam sent to the Ministry of Transport, the national airport network will be planned according to the hub-spoke model with two main hubs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, forming 30 airports.

Of these, there are 14 international airports including Van Don, Cat Bi, Noi Bai, Tho Xuan, Vinh, Phu Bai, Da Nang, Chu Lai, Cam Ranh, Lien Khuong, Long Thanh, Tan Son Nhat, Can Tho and Phu Quoc.

14 domestic airports include Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Sa Pa, Na San, Dong Hoi, Quang Tri, Phu Cat, Tuy Hoa, Pleiku, Buon Ma Thuot, Phan Thiet, Rach Gia, Ca Mau and Con Dao.

Two domestic airports (Thanh Son and Bien Hoa) were formed from converting Thanh Son and Bien Hoa military airports into dual-use airports according to the airport model.

Vision to 2050, 33 airports will be formed. Of which, there will be 14 international airports including Van Don, Hai Phong, Noi Bai, Tho Xuan, Vinh, Phu Bai, Da Nang, Chu Lai, Cam Ranh, Lien Khuong, Long Thanh, Tan Son Nhat, Can Tho and Phu Quoc.

19 domestic airports include Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Sa Pa, Cao Bang, Na San, Cat Bi, Dong Hoi, Quang Tri, Phu Cat, Tuy Hoa, Pleiku, Buon Ma Thuot, Phan Thiet, Rach Gia, Ca Mau, Con Dao, Bien Hoa, Thanh Son and the second airport in the southeast, south of Hanoi capital.

The research on converting some existing military airports into dual-use ones as well as the research, survey and assessment of the possibility of planning airports in some provinces with important positions in national defense and security and long-term potential for development in tourism and services but without military airports in operation will continue to be carried out; report to the Prime Minister for consideration when all necessary conditions are met.