Aircrafts of Vietnam Airlines await passengers at the Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội.  An expansion plan by the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam (CAAV) aims to raise the annual capacity of the airport to between 20 and 25 million by 2020 and 50 million passengers after 2030. VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hùng

HÀ NỘI — The annual capacity of Hà Nội’s Nội Bài International Airport will increase to 80-100 million passengers by 2050 as part of an expansion plan agreed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam (CAAV) and a French company.

The CAAV and France’s ADPi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Hà Nội on Wednesday to expand the airport.

With total investment of about VNĐ34.7 billion (US$1.48 million), the plan which is expected to be implemented over 12 months, aims to raise the annual capacity of the airport to between 20 and 25 million by 2020 and 50 million passengers after 2030.

The French government has offered non-refundable aid of about VNĐ30.8 billion ($1.31 million).

The remaining investment will be sourced from the State budget, equal to $170,000.

At the MoU signing ceremony, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyễn Văn Công said Nội Bài International Airport played an important role in the network of Việt Nam’s airports.

“The plan must have a clear vision and ensure quality by capable and experienced consultants,” he said.

ADPi is an airport architecture and technical design consulting company under the management of Aeroports de Paris Group. It specialises in managing and designing airport facilities such as terminals, control towers and airport maintenance at airports in Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Dubai and Jeddah. 
It was also hired by the CAAV to review and study the plan and offer feasible ideas for HCM City’s Tân Sơn Nhất Airport.

The airport served 6.74 million passengers in the first quarter of this year, a year-on-year increase of 9.4 per cent.

It has so far served about 2.5 million passengers per year, exceeding the intended capacity of the domestic and international terminals.

The airport has recently suffered from overloading, resulting in the deterioration of runways, taxiways and aprons.

The airport is expected to serve about 90,000 passengers on the upcoming Liberation Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) holiday.
During the holiday, around 550 flights will take off and land at the airport each day, a year-on-year rise of 7 percent.
Nội Bài Airport is set to serve the highest number of passengers on April 26-27 and May 1-2.

Ninety six check-in counters at the international terminal would still be unable to serve surging passenger numbers, climbing to nearly 4,300 passengers during peak hours between 12pm and 2am, leading to airport congestion and affecting service quality, said Nguyễn Đức Hùng, the airport's director. — VNS