Vietnam Airlines moves to Tan Son Nhat T3 terminal, what should passengers note?

After dropping off passengers at the departure terminal of Terminal T3, the driver had to ask the security guard where to park the car. The security guard said that because the connecting road inside the parking garage was not finished yet, the car had to go out to Phan Thuc Duyen Street before going around to the parking lot of Terminal T3 (photo taken on May 16) - Photo: TTD

Many passengers worry about going to the wrong station when traffic connections are still confusing and traffic flow is unclear.

Struggling from the gate when wanting to get to terminal T3

According to Tuoi Tre on the afternoon of May 16, less than 24 hours before the full transition, the check-in counter area of ​​Terminal T3 had Vietnam Airlines staff on duty to guide passengers, and at the same time expanded the self-check-in counters and self-luggage drop-off counters.

Many passengers said that the check-in process and moving around inside the new terminal are more spacious, airy, and comfortable than in Terminal T1. However, many people who come to Terminal T3 for the first time still feel confused.

Mr. Tran Van Hoang (a passenger entering the station by car) said he mistakenly drove to the 2nd floor instead of the 3rd floor, which is the departure area. When he realized it, he had already passed the toll booth, so he had to turn around and waste a lot of time. "It took more than 10-15 minutes to go around and pay an extra fee to pass the booth. It would not be worth it if there were clearer instructions from the beginning. The toll booth was congested and jammed because only 2-3 lanes were open, the remaining lanes were not in operation," said Mr. Hoang.

The entrance to Terminal T3 via the Tran Quoc Hoan - Cong Hoa overpass also confuses many drivers. According to records, many people drive in the wrong lane, go in the wrong direction and then have to turn around, creating chaos right at the foot of the bridge.

Motorcyclists entering the T3 terminal area should be careful not to take the wrong road. Right at the foot of the Tran Quoc Hoan - Cong Hoa overpass, there is a sign that reads "Entrance to T3 terminal. No 2- and 3-wheeled vehicles allowed".

There is also a fairly large island here, with signs prohibiting motorbikes from going straight or turning left. Motorcyclists arriving here do not pay attention to the signs and continuously turn left to enter Terminal T3. Traffic police continuously blow their whistles, reminding and instructing motorbikes to turn around.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Quoc (Tan Binh District) recounted that while driving onto Hoang Hoa Tham Street to pick up his daughter, he was stopped by a traffic police officer on the morning of May 16. At first, he did not understand what he had done wrong. After being instructed, he learned that motorbikes were not allowed in this section. There were signs but no one paid attention, so it was easy to violate.

Efforts to guide and apply technology

To reduce confusion, Vietnam Airlines has sent notifications to passengers via email, SMS, and Zalo app. The airline has also arranged staff to work at counters 56-109 and increased signage in the terminal.

Terminal T3 is integrated with modern technological solutions such as 22 self-check-in counters, 20 self-baggage drop-off counters, and biometric identification using VNeID. Thanks to that, passengers can complete procedures faster without having to present documents.

Airlines recommend that passengers arrive at the airport at least 30 minutes to 2 hours earlier than usual to get used to the new space. At the same time, they should carefully check their flight tickets, flight codes and the operating airline to make sure they arrive at the correct terminal.

Terminal T3 has a designed capacity of 20 million passengers/year. The terminal area is 112,500m2. Although there are still some unfinished items such as floor tiling and part of the check-in counter, the terminal has served more than 1,400 flights and nearly 400,000 passengers in the first month of operation.

Current inconveniences could be reduced if there were clearer signage, more specific instructions and especially more effective exploitation of technological information.

Which way is the correct way to enter T3 terminal?

Terminal T3 is separate from T1 and T2, so passengers should note that they no longer depend on Truong Son Street as before but must follow two new routes.

According to Mr. Luong Minh Phuc - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Project Management Board, the route connecting Tran Quoc Hoan - Cong Hoa is the main axis leading to the T3 terminal, combining three connection points: two underground entrances and an overpass. In addition, the expanded Hoang Hoa Tham street also helps regulate traffic flow.

Specific directions: From Binh Duong , Dong Nai, Thu Duc City: Pham Van Dong - Bach Dang - Truong Son - Tran Quoc Hoan - Cong Hoa street. From the center of Ho Chi Minh City: Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Nguyen Van Troi - Phan Thuc Duyen - Tran Quoc Hoan street. From the west, northwest: Hoang Hoa Tham - Tran Quoc Hoan - Cong Hoa street.

Identify the correct terminal to avoid missing your flight

Currently, only Vietnam Airlines operates at terminal T3. The remaining airlines such as Vietjet , Vietravel Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Pacific Airlines, Vasco still operate at terminal T1.

Airlines are concerned that passengers will confuse the two terminals due to the joint venture model. Vietnam Airlines Group consists of three airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines and Vasco. While Vietnam Airlines has moved all its flights to Terminal T3, the other two airlines are still operating at Terminal T1.

Many codeshare flights between Vietnam Airlines and Pacific Airlines still carry the code "VN", causing passengers to mistakenly believe that the flight departs from Terminal T3. For example, Vasco flights to Con Dao, Rach Gia, and Ca Mau, although bearing the code VN, actually depart from Terminal T1. Passengers need to identify the correct terminal to avoid wasting time and missing their flights.

TRUST

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vietnam-airlines-chuyen-sang-nha-ga-t3-tan-son-nhat-hanh-khach-luu-y-gi-20250517081216192.htm