To construct the Gia Bình International Airport, authorities will have to pay a total compensation and support for site clearance to more than 2,400 households in 20 villages. — Photo cafef.vn

HÀ NỘI — The northern province of Bắc Ninh has begun paying compensation for land clearance to build the new Gia Binh International Airport and associated infrastructure, marking a significant step in one of the country’s largest planned aviation projects.

According to the plan, authorities will pay more than VNĐ1.38 trillion (US$52.5 million) to over 2,400 households in 20 villages in Lương Tài Commune to clear more than 313 hectares of land from November 4-12.

Gia Binh Airport, with estimated investment capital of nearly VNĐ197 trillion ($7.5 billion), will cover around 1,884 hectares, making it larger than Noi Bai Airport (1,500 hectares) and second only to Long Thanh Airport (5,000 hectares). The project has an operational timeline of up to 70 years, from 2025 to 2095.

It is designed to meet international 5-star service standards, aiming to rank among the world’s top 10 airports based on Skytrax criteria and to be included in the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) programme, led by Airports Council International (ACI), which benchmarks passenger satisfaction globally.

The airport is expected to serve as a northern aviation gateway, a regional transit centre for passengers and cargo, and a leading aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in the Asia-Pacific region.

The project is divided into two main investment phases. Phase 1.1, from 2025 to 2027, will focus on essential facilities to serve the 2027 APEC Summit. Phase 1.2, from 2026 to 2030, will complete the project for full operation with capacity for 30 million passengers per year. Phase 2, from 2031 to 2050, will further expand capacity to 50 million passengers and 2.5 million tonnes of cargo annually. — BIZHUB/VNS