Christmas opening expected for Vietnam's mega Long Thanh airport

Long Thanh International Airport is expected to handle around 30 flights a day when it begins commercial operations on Dec. 24, four of them on international routes and the rest domestic. The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), a state-owned firm that manages 23 civilian airports across Vietnam and is the principal for Long Thanh, has developed 55 operating scenarios for the airport, two of which have been tested.The initial phase, scheduled to begin on Dec. 24, is expected to see around 30 daily flights, four on international routes, Nguyen Duc Hung, ACV's acting CEO reported to Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc during a meeting at the airport in the southern Dong Nai City on Oct. 4.But the ACV has not disclosed details of the 55 scenarios, merely saying 15-20 of them are core plans for commercial operations, with testing beginning late last month. The ceiling of the central area of the passenger terminal at Long Thanh International Airport is largely complete on the morning of Oct. 4, 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan The Incheon Airport consortium, the operator of South Korea's Incheon Airport, and Vietnamese consulting firm PMI, are advising on the management and operation of Long Thanh.The ACV plans to open the passenger terminal's central area and west wing when the airport begins operations at midnight on Dec. 24.Construction of the cargo terminal, parking facility and internal roads will continue through the first quarter of 2027.The ACV will coordinate with airlines to conduct test flights in November.The Ministry of Construction has set passenger service fees at VND90,909 (US$3.50) for domestic flights and US$25 for international flights, excluding VAT.The domestic fee is the same as at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi and Tan Son Nhat in HCMC, while the international fee is $5 higher than at the latter.To scale up graduallyAccording to the ACV, Long Thanh will be brought into operation gradually.In the first phase, until March 2027, Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet have registered for slots equivalent to 6-10% of the airport's designed capacity, or around 20-30 flights a day, mainly on domestic and short-haul international routes.The maximum planned volume during this period is 366 flights a week, including 44 international flights.Part of cargo terminal 1 will handle only domestic cargo initially before adding international cargo in January 2027, except those headed to Europe and the U.S. Check-in systems installed at the passenger terminal of Long Thanh International Airport. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan In the second phase, from April to October 2027, Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet are expected to add international routes to Europe, Australia, South Asia, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Americas and more domestic routes.Passenger numbers are expected to reach 50% of designed capacity.During this period, licensing procedures for the entire infrastructure are expected to be completed.The cargo terminal will complete testing and connect its core systems, including automated cargo-handling and storage systems and cold storage for perishable goods.From October 2027, based on the winter flight schedule, the airport is expected to operate at 100% of capacity, with a full network of international and domestic routes, including cargo services to Europe and the U.S.The ACV is carrying out a three-stage operational readiness and airport transfer program, with the first stage completed in September-October 2026. The remaining two are scheduled for November and December.The exercises cover four core areas: passenger and ground transport services, baggage handling, airside operations, and security, safety, and information technology.The tests are intended to help the ACV assess risks and confirm the readiness of systems, infrastructure and personnel before the airport begins operations.The airport's fuel hydrant system is also expected to be tested from approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam in November.According to the ACV, component 3, covering the passenger terminal, taxiways and aprons, perimeter fencing, site preparation, internal roads, and runway, is 85.55% complete.Twelve construction packages are on schedule to meet the December opening deadline.Four others, the passenger terminal, cargo terminal, internal roads, and plane parking facility, are only partially complete but the opening will not be postponed because of that.The remaining work on the cargo terminal, parking facility, and internal roads will continue into the first quarter of 2027.The Ministry of Construction said components 1, 2, and 4 are broadly on track for completion by the end of the year, but admitted that four packages under component 3 are at risk of missing the deadline.Component 1 includes facilities needed for customs, police, quarantine, and airport regulatory authorities; component 2 comprises of the control tower and systems that manage aircraft movements and communications; and component 4 is for building facilities that support cargo handling, catering, aircraft cleaning and maintenance, ground services, and other ground operations.To ensure quality, safety and licensing requirements are met, the ministry has asked the ACV to provide details of its operating plans from Dec. 24 and its plan for simultaneously operating the airport and carrying on with construction after the opening.Risk of delayAfter inspecting the airport and assessing reports, standing deputy PM Tuc said the risk of delay is real.With only around three months remaining and several obstacles still unresolved, he instructed contractors to begin a final push and not delay the schedule. Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc (front row, 3rd from R) inspects a trial run of the baggage conveyor system at Long Thanh International Airport, Oct. 4, 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan "The ACV must resolve contractors' difficulties quickly. Issues requiring action from the government or higher authorities must be reported before Oct. 7."But he warned that quality must not come at the expense of speed."The airport is highly significant. The schedule is very important, but quality and safety are the most important. Flights can only operate when safety is ensured."Speaking about access to the airport, he called for transport projects to meet schedules.Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City need to accelerate the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh and Bien Hoa-Long Thanh metro lines, he said.Highways should also be completed soon to ensure access to the airport, he said.He instructed Dong Nai to quickly develop an airport city and non-aviation services.Long Thanh airport spreads over 5,000 hectares and is being built at a cost of around $13 billion.Its first phase will have one runway and passenger terminal each with an annual capacity of 25 million passengers and 1.2 million metric tons of cargo.