The Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee approved a proposal on March 1 to renovate and expand the aircraft apron at Vinh International Airport in the provincial capital with total investment of around $9.4 million.

The main project investor will be Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV). Most of the capital will be spent on renovating and expanding the aircraft apron in order to increase the number of Code C parking slots from six to nine. It is estimated that the project will be completed within 12 months once the land is cleared and the necessary legal procedures are finalized.

The expansion will occupy an area of around 5.97 ha in Nghi Lien commune.

Under initial planning, the project will be completed and put into operation within 12 months from the date of site clearance being completed and land delivered and the issuance of a construction permit. The operational period is 50 years from the date the investor is granted land.

In Vietnam’s airport network planning for the 2021-2030 period, Vinh International Airport is designated as a Level 4C airport with a total area of 557 ha. It has a designed capacity of welcoming 8 million passengers a year.

The airport currently only has six aircraft parking slots, which is not enough to meet the rising number of travelers arriving during peak periods like holiday seasons, when eight or nine slots are needed. It is also only equipped with a single 2,400-meter concrete runway that was renovated in 2003. This can only cater to Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft with reduced weight or other aircraft of a similar weight.

The existing runway is unable to accommodate wide-body aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing B777 and B797, making it difficult for Vinh International Airport to fully cater to international flights.

Furthermore, the quality of the runway surface has deteriorated, requiring frequent maintenance and repairs. Expansion and renovation are therefore needed urgently.