HCMC — Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has instructed the Ministry of Construction to review operating plans for Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh international airports and report by September 27.
The directive follows media reports that the relocation of all international flights from the operational Tan Son Nhat International Airport to the under-construction Long Thanh International Airport has not been finalized.
Uong Viet Dung, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), said Long Thanh is designed as a modern international airport with the goal of becoming a regional transit hub. The Government has called for faster progress, targeting completion by the end of 2025 and operations starting in mid-2026, according to the Government news website (baochinhphu.vn).
Dung said a clear transition plan is needed, with coordinated infrastructure, services and commercial facilities. He proposed operating Long Thanh in parallel with Tan Son Nhat during the transition to avoid disruptions.
The aviation authority is still collecting feedback before finalizing the plan.
Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son suggested a three-stage approach. The airport would first share Tan Son Nhat’s load and focus on cargo. In the second stage, as transport links like roads and railways are in place, more international flights would be shifted to the new airport. In the final stage, Long Thanh would expand into a regional hub with an airport city, free-trade zone, and modern transport network.
Son said Long Thanh should not be expected to operate at full throttle immediately and should be developed step by step to ensure efficiency and passenger convenience.
