On the morning of October 4, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc and a Government delegation conducted an on-site inspection of key construction items at the passenger terminal of Long Thanh International Airport and reviewed the project’s implementation progress and preparations for operation, with the goal of commencing commercial operations in December 2026.

The delegation included Mr. Pham Minh Ha, Deputy Minister of Construction; Mr. Nguyen Thanh Duy, Deputy Minister and Deputy Head of the Government Office; Ms. Phan Thi Thang, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade; Mr. Le Tan Can, Deputy Minister of Finance; Mr. Vo Van Hung, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment; Mr. Uong Viet Dung, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV); Mr. Hoang Nguyen Dinh, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee; Mr. Ho Van Ha, Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee; and leaders of relevant agencies and organizations.

Representing Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) were Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Mr. Nguyen Duc Hung, Acting General Director; and Mr. Tran Anh Vu and Mr. Vu Pham Nguyen An, Deputy General Director.

Overview of the meeting

Inspecting Key Facilities at the Passenger Terminal

At the project site, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc directly inspected areas undergoing completion inside the passenger terminal, a critical component in achieving the target of commencing commercial operations at Long Thanh International Airport in December 2026.

The Standing Deputy Prime Minister was briefed on the progress of the passenger terminal roof system, customs working areas, automated check-in counters and baggage conveyor systems. These facilities are being reviewed as part of the overall operational readiness preparations to ensure that passenger service processes can operate in an integrated and coordinated manner once the airport officially commences operations.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc inspects the project site

Following the on-site inspection, the Standing Deputy Prime Minister requested that the entire project immediately enter an accelerated construction phase. “Ministries, local authorities, the project owner, contractors and all relevant agencies must accelerate implementation, mobilize resources and organize 24/7 construction for critical-path items where a significant volume of work remains,” Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc emphasized.

The Standing Deputy Prime Minister also presented gifts to officials, engineers and workers at the construction site, encouraging all project personnel to continue their efforts during this critical final phase.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc presents gifts to officials, engineers and workers at the construction site

85.55% of Contract Value Completed

According to ACV’s report, the cumulative value of work completed under Component 3 of the Long Thanh International Airport Project has reached 85.55% of the total contract value, while cumulative disbursement stands at 54.49% of the contract value.

Component 3 comprises 16 major construction packages. Of these, 12 packages are basically meeting the schedule requirements for the target of commencing operations in December 2026. Specifically, four packages have been completed, while eight are progressing in line with the required schedule, with several work items having reached more than 90% completion.

At the same time, four of the 16 packages remain on the project’s critical path and require continued close attention to resolve difficulties and obstacles, mobilize additional resources and accelerate construction to ensure the overall project schedule. These include Package 5.10 for construction of the passenger terminal; Package 4.8 for internal airport transport infrastructure and technical infrastructure; Package 7.8 for construction of Cargo Terminal 1; and Package 11.5 for construction of the parking facility.

“The schedule set out in the National Assembly’s Resolution is extremely important, but the schedule must not come at the expense of quality. For an aviation project, quality and safety are the top priorities,” Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc emphasized.

According to the Standing Deputy Prime Minister, the airport may only commence operations once all requirements relating to quality and safety have been fully satisfied. If these requirements are not met, “flights must not commence under any circumstances.”

Proactive Preparations for the Commencement of Operations at Long Thanh International Airport

Alongside construction completion, ACV is simultaneously implementing a comprehensive range of operational readiness activities for Long Thanh International Airport, following a phased approach to gradually increasing operational capacity while ensuring safety, efficiency and alignment with infrastructure completion.

According to the plan, Phase 1, from December 2026 to March 2027, will see the passenger terminal initially operate the West Wing and Central Area, with passenger throughput estimated at approximately 6–10% of the airport’s designed capacity, equivalent to around 20–30 flights per day. Total planned traffic is expected to reach a maximum of 366 flights per week, including 322 domestic and 44 international flights, primarily serving domestic routes and short-haul international routes.

For cargo operations, part of Cargo Terminal 1 (CTB1) is expected to commence handling domestic cargo from December 24, 2026. From January 2027, the terminal is expected to serve international flights, except for routes to Europe and the United States.

In Phase 2, from April to October 2027, passenger traffic is expected to reach approximately 50% of the airport’s designed capacity. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air will continue expanding their international networks to Europe, Australia, South Asia, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and the Americas, while adding a number of domestic routes.

In Phase 3, from October 2027, based on the winter flight schedule, Long Thanh International Airport is expected to operate at 100% of its designed capacity, with a full network of domestic and international routes, including cargo services to Europe and the United States.

To assess the airport’s operational readiness prior to commencement of operations, ACV will conduct three rounds of comprehensive Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) exercises in September–October 2026, November 2026 and December 2026.

The exercises will focus on four core areas: passenger services and ground connectivity; baggage services; airside operations; and security, safety and information technology.

The Fuel Hydrant System (FHS) is expected to complete inspection and commissioning activities and undergo the licensing procedures with the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam in November 2026.

In parallel, ACV is finalizing the required legal procedures and operational documentation for submission to the competent authorities for review and approval.

Infrastructure completion, system testing, operational trials and legal procedures are being carried out simultaneously by ACV, with the overarching goal of ensuring that Long Thanh International Airport is fully prepared for safe, integrated and efficient operations from December 2026.

News, photos: Administration Department