Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), last month started the initial operations of its new international terminal, which was built at a cost of VND 3,300 billion (about US$260 million) provided by the Japanese Government Offi cial DevelopmentAssistance (ODA).
Construction started in August 2004. In the fi rst phase, the four-storey building with a total surface of 92,920 sqm, will accommodate scheduled fl ights of Mandarin Airlines, Uni Air, Shenzhen Airlines, and Royal Brunei Airlines. But once fully operational by September 2007, the new terminal will accommodate all 35 regional and international airlines which are currently serving Ho Chi Minh City on adaily basis.
Once the airlines have transferred their operations to the new terminal, the current terminal will be used for domestic fl ights by Vietnam Airlines and Pacifi c Airlines, Vietnam’s fi rst low cost carrier. The new terminal can accommodate wide-body aircraft such as B747-400; B777-300; Airbus A340 and B767. At peak-traffi c hours it is designedto handle up to 20 flights.
With a handling capacity of 8 million to 10 million passengers a year, the new terminal will serve as Ho Chi Minh City’s major gateway until the (planned) new international airport starts operationsin Long Thanh by 2015.
Located in Dong Nai Province, some 50 km from the centre of Ho Chi Minh City, the Long Thanh airport, planned to have four 4000-m long runways; 3 passenger terminals and 1 cargo terminal, and capable of handling the A380, will have a capacity of handling up to 100 million passengers and 5 million cubicmeters of cargo per year.
Sources said the new airport will require an investment of some US$2 billion from foreign investors. In the meantime, Tan Son Nhat International Airport with two 4000 m-long runways and two terminals will continue to play the role of Vietnam’s largest airport. Apart from leading European and Asian carriers, it is also the main cargo gateway for operators such as FedEx, UPS, TNT, Korean Air Cargo, Cargoitalia, and Shanghai Airlines. – Peter Nguyen
