General Secretary: Long Thanh must be a new model of modern aviation infrastructure

The General Secretary emphasized that Long Thanh International Airport must be built and operated with the spirit of overcoming differences, and be a new model of modern, sustainable and smart aviation infrastructure.

On the morning of November 13, in Dong Nai province, General Secretary To Lam and the Central Working Delegation visited and worked on the implementation of the national key project to build Long Thanh International Airport and development orientation in the regional and international competitive environment.

Also attending were Mr. Nguyen Van Nen, Politburo member, Standing member of the Party's XIV National Congress Document Subcommittee; Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; Tran Hong Ha, Party Central Committee member, Deputy Prime Minister; Vu Hong Thanh, Party Central Committee member, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly; Pham Gia Tuc, Party Central Committee member, Chief of the Party Central Committee Office; Party Central Committee members, leaders of central and local ministries, departments, branches, state-owned enterprises...

At the meeting, Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh said that the Long Thanh International Airport construction investment project has a capacity of 100 million passengers/year and 5 million tons of cargo/year; the land area used is 5,000 hectares; the investment is divided into 3 phases. In which, phase 1 will invest in the construction of 2 runways in the North and 1 passenger terminal along with synchronous auxiliary items with a capacity of 25 million passengers/year, 1.2 million tons of cargo/year.

According to the direction of the Government and the Prime Minister, on December 19, 2025, the construction of phase 1 and technical flights will be basically completed, and commercial operations will be carried out in the first half of 2026.

General Secretary To Lam visits Long Thanh International Airport Project. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Regarding the implementation status, the Long Thanh International Airport Construction Investment Project Phase 1 includes 4 component projects. Specifically, Component Project 1 includes 6 projects of State management agency headquarters (Southern Airport Authority Headquarters; Customs Headquarters; Immigration Department Headquarters; Local Police Headquarters; Animal Quarantine Headquarters and Plant Quarantine Headquarters), up to now, the construction has basically been completed, and the finishing work is being deployed, ensuring completion before December 19, 2025.

Component project 2, including works to ensure flight operations, is implemented by the investor, Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation.

Up to now, the construction work has been completed, the finishing work and equipment installation are being deployed, and the items are expected to be completed to ensure technical flight work on December 19, 2025.

Component project 3, including essential works, has 15 bid packages, of which 3/15 bid packages have been completed, 12/15 bid packages are under construction.

According to the direction of the Government and the Prime Minister, the construction of the Project items will be basically completed on December 19, 2025, ensuring technical flight work on December 19, 2025.

General Secretary To Lam visits Long Thanh International Airport Project. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

The remaining items will continue to be completed, tested and put into commercial operation in the first half of 2026. Component project 4 is other works. For projects being prioritized for implementation to serve the exploitation of phase 1 of the Project, investors are actively implementing, striving to basically complete the construction part on December 19, 2025; ensuring readiness for synchronous operation in June 2026.

The remaining items are being invested in by investors Vietnam Airlines, Vietnam Airports Corporation and Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee (the governing body) according to plan.

The Government is directing the Ministry of Construction, Vietnam Airports Corporation and relevant ministries and branches to study and implement phase 2 of Long Thanh International Airport, with construction of the third runway (phase 2) expected to begin on December 19, 2025.

After listening to the report and opinions exchanged at the working session, General Secretary To Lam assessed that the overall progress of the first phase of the project had achieved positive results, initially demonstrating the financial efficiency and autonomy of Vietnamese enterprises.

Applying and mastering advanced management technologies will bring Long Thanh International Airport towards green and smart airport standards.

The General Secretary acknowledged and commended the outstanding efforts made by the Government, central and local ministries, branches, project investors, joint ventures and contractors in actively implementing and completing many construction items, ensuring progress.

General Secretary To Lam speaks at the meeting. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

The General Secretary stated that Long Thanh International Airport is not just an airport but a strategic driving force for the country's socio-economic development, especially in the key economic region of the South.

The General Secretary emphasized that in order to effectively promote their roles, all levels and sectors need to clearly define national, regional and international competitiveness. Long Thanh International Airport must be built and operated with the spirit of overcoming differences, pioneering and being a new model of modern, sustainable and smart aviation infrastructure.

Ministries, sectors and investors coordinate to develop a set of criteria to assess the international competitiveness of Long Thanh International Airport. Special attention is paid to service quality and passenger experience; productivity and operational efficiency; connectivity and transit capacity in the regional aviation network.

The goal is for Long Thanh International Airport to become the most attractive aviation destination in Southeast Asia, comparable to and surpassing the leading airports in the region. Regarding investment efficiency and project management, the General Secretary requested the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Finance and the Vietnam Airports Corporation to continue to evaluate the overall efficiency of the project, not only in terms of finance but also in terms of socio-economic efficiency, environment, national defense and security.

Each investment capital in building Long Thanh International Airport brings greater spillover value to a region and the whole country, from GDP growth, employment to technology and human resources.

At the same time, continue to strictly control quality, safety, prevent corruption and waste, ensure Long Thanh International Airport is truly a transparent, effective project of the century and prepare for phase 2 soon; proactively propose to invest in additional runways, take-offs, passenger terminals, take advantage of machinery to increase capacity as soon as possible...; must synchronously develop regional connectivity and the aviation service ecosystem.

General Secretary To Lam speaks at the meeting. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

In order for Long Thanh International Airport to truly be effective in connecting traffic, urban services, and logistics in a synchronous and modern way, the General Secretary requested ministries, branches, and localities to focus on ensuring multimodal infrastructure connections between Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Ba Ria Vung Tau, and Long Thanh; speed up the progress of Bien Hoa, Vung Tau, Ben Luc-Long Thanh expressways, Ring Road 3, Ring Road 4, Ho Chi Minh City; soon start the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh light rail line, gradually connect the inner-city Metro directly to the airport, and plan an inter-regional passenger and logistics transfer center right at this airport, reducing logistics costs in the whole region.

The General Secretary noted the need to build a modern and synchronous aviation ecosystem and services including accommodation, hotels, conference centers, trade, healthcare, training and education, logistics, logistics engineering, tariffs, and supporting financial services, becoming a modern airport city - an airport urban model ("aerotropolis"), becoming a logistics and transit service center in Southeast Asia.

The General Secretary proposed to increase the international appeal of Long Thanh International Airport. The Government should soon direct the Ministry of Construction, Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and businesses to soon develop policies to attract international airlines to exploit; there must be a mechanism for fees, charges, ground services, maintenance, cargo transit, international competition, and at the same time, implement a strategy to promote and promote the global market so that Long Thanh becomes a priority destination. International airlines are Vietnam's new gateway to the world.

The goal is that international passengers coming to Vietnam choose Long Thanh International Airport because of its convenience, utility and satisfaction. International airlines choose Long Thanh International Airport because of its efficiency, service quality and attractive investment environment.

The General Secretary emphasized that the completion of Long Thanh International Airport will relieve pressure on Tan Son Nhat International Airport; promote regional connectivity in the development space of the Southeast region and affirm Vietnam's geostrategic position on the aviation map of the Asia-Pacific region.

The General Secretary believes that under the leadership of the Party, the resolute direction of the Government, the coordination of ministries, branches, localities, enterprises and the dedication of tens of thousands of workers, Long Thanh International Airport Phase 1 will be completed on schedule, achieving international quality, absolute safety, becoming a symbol of modern, dynamic and sustainably developing Vietnam in the new period.

Previously, General Secretary To Lam and the Central Working Delegation visited and presented gifts and encouraged construction units at the first runway area; parking area.../.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/tong-bi-thu-long-thanh-phai-la-hinh-mau-moi-ve-ha-tang-hang-khong-hien-dai-post1076765.vnp