Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to get new airport?

The vital importance of a country’s international airport hub and its future role has been sharply focused in Vietnam.  The country’s thee main airports (Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang ) are now being brought under one operating company.  Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng has attached his name to a plan to start construction of the new Long Thanh International Airport in 2015.  Sited 30 miles north east of Ho Chi Minh City the facility could be operational by 2018 and is planned to eventually have four runways with a capacity of 25m, twice the number handled by SGN last year. 

According to Nguyen Cong Hoan, Director of Planning and Investment for the newly-established Airports Corporation of Vietnam, Long Thanh will handle 80% of international flights and position itself as a hub for the whole of the Indo China region.  At a press briefing in the existing terminal he ducked a question regarding rail connections to Ho Chi Minh City, without a Metro at the present time.  Domestic growth was between 18/20% but on international routes it is currently down to 3%.  The present international terminal was opened in 2007 but feels dated. www.hochiminhcityairport.com Also see ON TOUR

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