The plan to renovate and upgrade Vinh Airport has been postponed to at least June 2025.
According to information from Vinh International Airport, due to procedures requiring input from various ministries and agencies, the previously planned renovation and upgrade of Vinh Airport has been postponed to at least June 2025.
According to the previous plan, after serving the peak passenger volume to and from Vinh during the Lunar New Year of 2025, Vinh Airport would cease operations for repairs and upgrades; it would reopen for the summer tourist season in early July. However, due to procedures involving various ministries and agencies, especially the opinion of the Ministry of Transport, the plan to repair and upgrade Vinh Airport will be postponed by 3 months, with the earliest commencement date being June 2025.
Previously, the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) received approval from the Ministry of Transport to invest 745 billion VND in renovating and repairing the runways and taxiways at Vinh Airport; construction was expected to take 4 months.
According to ACV's assessment, although Vinh Airport is currently in operation, its runways and taxiways are deteriorating and have reached the end of their design lifespan.
Vinh Airport has only one runway, 2,400 meters long and 45 meters wide, which was put into operation at the end of 2003. In July 2023, Vinh Airport had to close for nearly 16 hours due to a 40-meter-wide runway.2The asphalt concrete layer on the runway is cracked.
To ensure the safe operation of new aircraft, the runways and taxiways need to be repaired, and braking strips measuring 100 x 60 m need to be constructed at both ends of the runway. The runway is proposed to be constructed of reinforced concrete to mitigate adverse weather conditions.
During the approximately four-month construction period, ACV proposed closing the airport after the Lunar New Year holiday in 2025; passengers traveling to and from Nghe An could use a nearby airport or choose other means of transportation.
The Ministry of Transport requested that during the implementation of repair procedures, ACV continue to strengthen the maintenance of runways and taxiways at Vinh International Airport according to technical standards for aviation infrastructure maintenance and maintenance procedures, and be responsible for ensuring safe operation and smooth air transport operations; and promptly report any difficulties or obstacles to the Ministry of Transport.
ACV and Vinh International Airport also proposed that the Ministry of Transport coordinate with the People's Committee of Nghe An province to study investment options for expanding the airport, including land clearance according to the planning boundary to build and install an approach lighting system, increase the size of the runway, and install a security fence system... to ensure safe takeoffs and landings in bad weather conditions, such as thick fog, or to serve night flights.
