Vietnam Airlines planes parked at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City. A shortage of infrastructure is the biggest challenge to the aviation sector. — VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hùng

Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — The biggest problem facing the Vietnamese aviation sector is the infrastructure at airports, especially at the Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, heard a conference in Hà Nội this week.

Lại Xuân Thanh, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam (CAAV), said airports nationwide are capable of accommodating a total of 75 million passengers annually. 
In the first four months of this year, 63 million had already been accommodated, adding more pressure on the country’s aviation infrastructure, he said. 
During the reviewed period, the sector grew by nearly 25 per cent, ranking fifth in Southeast Asia, Thanh noted.

He said the speedy development has challenged domestic airlines and aviation businesses. 
The CAAV has submitted plans to upgrade aviation infrastructure, ensure safety for flights and create the best possible conditions for airlines. 
The Ministry of Transport plans to expand the Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport and raise its capacity to 40 million passengers per year, Thanh said, expressing his worry that the number was still moderate compared with the growth rate. 
His views were shared by Vũ Phạm Nguyên An, deputy director of the Airport Operation Department under the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), who said most airports, excluding the Nội Bài, Tân Sơn Nhất and Đà Nẵng international airports, are incurring losses. 
The ACV is facing financial difficulties as it has been in charge of all the operation costs of the failed airports, he said.

An suggested the air carriers use auxiliary ports in a bid to ease the load at the Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport. 
Dương Chí Thanh, deputy general director of Vietnam Airlines, proposed the CAAV assign airlines specific areas in the airports to ensure equality and healthy competition. 
Lương Thế Phúc, deputy general director of VietJet Air, suggested the CAAV create conditions for air carriers to upgrade aviation infrastructure and coordinate with each other during programmes to improve flight management.—VNS