HÀ NỘI – The Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam (CAAV) has said that it will need close to VNĐ80 trillion (US$3.5 billion) for the proposed expansion project of Nội Bài International Airport. The expansion project is being carried out in order to brace against overloading that is expected in just a few years.

At a recent meeting between the Hà Nội People’s Committee and the Ministry of Transport (MoT), the MoT was instructed to quickly complete planning and report to Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc for permission to deploy ground clearance in advance of the planned expansion.

Details of the plan were approved by the PM in 2008, and include site clearance, the building of new terminals, and a third runway facing towards the south.

The plan for the site clearance will soon be reported to the PM for approval. The main obstacle will be whether or not the city can afford the current plans for clearance, or if instead it will have to look elsewhere to expand the airport.

In the event that the city does not have enough capital to account for the ground clearance under the approved plan, CAAV proposed to review and adjust planning based on existing land funds. They also suggested using some military land in the north, said Nguyễn Duy Lâm, director of the MoT’s planning and investment department.

CAAV has also recommended hiring foreign consultants to review the plans for the new airport, he said.

At the meeting, transport minister Nguyễn Văn Thể stressed the importance of Nội Bài Airport as the central airport of the country and the front door from which to welcome domestic and international tourists.

He also requested CAAV study the plan for adjustment in order to ensure that the new airport will avoid the kind of overload endured in Tân Sơn Nhất Airport in HCM City.

Nội Bài Airport now has a capacity of 25 million passengers per year, with two terminals and two runways.

It is expected to receive 35 million passengers per year by 2030. — VNS