The Prime Minister has directed the completion of Long Thanh Airport by 2025 and its commercial operation from 2026, urging an accelerated construction pace, continuous work through holidays, and ensuring quality and safety.
Commitment to Completing the Project in 2025!
The Government Office has just issued Notification No. 139/TB-VPCP on March 28, 2025, summarizing Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s conclusions after an inspection and working session on the Long Thanh International Airport project (Phase 1) and its connecting transportation projects.
The notification emphasizes that Long Thanh Airport is a national key project with a strategic role in economic and social development, enhancing air transport capacity, and promoting international integration. The Prime Minister reaffirmed the goal of completing the project in 2025 and putting it into commercial operation in early 2026.
The Prime Minister instructed ministries, local authorities, investors, and contractors to uphold the spirit of self-reliance and national dedication, ensuring around-the-clock construction, including holidays. Contractors must fully commit their workforce to the entire construction process.
Progress of the Four Project Components
For Component 1, the Prime Minister directed investors to accelerate the construction of government agency headquarters, ensuring timely completion. Responsibilities must be assigned based on the principle of “clear personnel, clear tasks, clear outcomes, clear accountability, clear deadlines, and clear authority,” with a firm commitment to completion in 2025.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has been tasked with completing the construction of the plant and animal quarantine station in 2025 as per commitments. Those responsible for delays must be held accountable and report to the Prime Minister before March 30, 2025.
For Component 2, the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) is responsible for constructing air traffic control facilities, ensuring quality, safety, and adherence to the timeline. The key goal is to complete installation and testing by October 2025, coordinating closely with the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) to synchronize technical infrastructure for seamless operation.
Regarding the railway connection between Long Thanh International Airport and Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the Prime Minister instructed Ho Chi Minh City’s People’s Committee to submit a report on this matter by March 2025.
For Component 3, which includes the largest workload, particularly the passenger terminal, ACV must expedite key tasks, working in three shifts per day, including through holidays. The goal is substantial completion by 2025 while adhering to strict quality, labor safety, and infrastructure standards.
The Prime Minister stressed that the terminal’s roof construction is a critical task currently underway. Once completed, ACV must swiftly proceed with the terminal’s interior and related infrastructure to meet the 2025 deadline.
For Component 4, concerning aircraft maintenance facilities, the Ministry of Construction must develop a special investor selection plan under legal regulations. Specifically, Vietnam Airlines will invest in Hangars 1 and 2, while Vietjet Air will handle Hangars 3 and 4, all scheduled for completion in 2025. Entities failing to meet deadlines will face legal consequences.
The Prime Minister also instructed the Ministry of Construction to finalize and submit an updated proposal for Phase 1 of Long Thanh International Airport for approval, ensuring compliance with directives from the National Assembly, the Government, and the Prime Minister.
Addressing Material Supply and Infrastructure Connectivity Issues
To ensure construction progress, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment must propose a special mechanism for licensing mineral exploitation for construction materials, to be reviewed by the Government in March 2025.
The Prime Minister requested to complete the technical traffic opening of Component 3 of Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway in April 2025.
For transportation infrastructure, the Prime Minister directed that Component 3 of the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway be technically opened to traffic in April 2025 and fully completed by June. Components 1 and 2 must be completed within 2025.
For the railway connection between Long Thanh and Tan Son Nhat Airports, Ho Chi Minh City’s authorities must promptly develop an elevated railway or metro connection plan, potentially in collaboration with international partners, and report to the Prime Minister in March 2025.
Increased Phase 1 Investment to Nearly $4.7 Billion
On March 29, 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha signed Decision No. 692/QD-TTg, adjusting the total investment for Phase 1 of Long Thanh International Airport from VND 109.111 trillion to VND 109.717 trillion (approximately $4.7 billion). This adjustment ensures the project stays on track and maintains quality standards.
Long Thanh International Airport project has a total area of 5,000 hectares, with a total investment of about 336,630 billion VND, expected to be put into operation from the first half of 2026.
The decision also refines investment responsibilities for Component 4, assigning:
- Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee to select investors for the fuel pipeline system, the airport city, the aviation industrial park, and airline operation centers.
- The Ministry of Construction to select investors for aircraft maintenance facilities (Hangars 1-4), Cargo Terminal 2, express cargo terminal, and warehouses 5-8.
- ACV to invest in warehouses 1-4, solar power systems, and technical infrastructure integration.
Overview of Long Thanh International Airport
Phase 1 of Long Thanh International Airport includes two runways, a passenger terminal, and supporting infrastructure to accommodate 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo annually. The two runways are 4,000 meters long and 75 meters wide, equipped with taxiways and aprons to handle various aircraft types.
Component 3, covering core airport infrastructure, is under the control of the airport operator. This includes runways, aprons, fueling systems, passenger and cargo terminals, parking lots, the airport control tower, and other auxiliary structures.
The total project spans 5,000 hectares, with an overall investment of VND 336.630 trillion. As of now, Phase 1 construction has reached 36% completion. However, some critical components, particularly the passenger terminal construction and equipment installation, are delayed due to issues with importing custom-designed equipment.
During a review meeting in January 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized accountability, stating: “If someone cannot do their job, they should step aside.”
Source: Duy Khuong – baophapluat.vn