Inside the newly built Long Thành International Airport, which is expected to begin commercial operations on December 1. — VNA/VNS Photo Công Phong

ĐỒNG NAI — Passengers departing on international flights from Long Thành International Airport will be charged a US$25 service fee, the same rate as at Hà Nội’s Nội Bài International Airport and $5 more than at HCM City’s Tân Sơn Nhất airport.

Under a decision recently issued by the Ministry of Construction, Long Thành’s passenger service fees will apply to tickets issued from October 1, at VNĐ90,909 ($3.45) per passenger for domestic flights and $25 for international flights. The rates exclude value-added tax.

The passenger service fee is separate from airline transportation fares. Airlines collect the fee as part of the ticket price and transfer it to the airport terminal service providers.

The introduction of the fees is part of preparations for the opening of the newly constructed Long Thành airport, which is expected to begin commercial operations on December 1.

Under the ministry’s decision, arrangements are also set out for passengers who have bought tickets for flights departing from Tân Sơn Nhất but are later transferred to Long Thành. In such cases, the fee will remain at the Tân Sơn Nhất rate.

Long Thành is being built in the southern province of Đồng Nai and will have an annual capacity of 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo in the first phase.

Operations will shift gradually from Tân Sơn Nhất to Long Thành to minimise disruption as construction and preparations are completed.

Under an operating allocation plan proposed by the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), Long Thành will handle all international routes longer than 1,000km, non-scheduled international flights and new routes that Tân Sơn Nhất cannot accommodate.

Domestic airlines will be able to decide whether to operate domestic flights from Long Thành. — BIZHUB/VNS