Đồng Hới Airport in central Quảng Bình Province will be upgraded into an international airport if it gets more international flights. — Photo vietnamairport.vn

QUẢNG BÌNH — The Government has given the central Quảng Bình Province the go-ahead to upgrade Đồng Hới Airport if it gets more international flights.

Deputy Prime Minister Lê Văn Thành has asked the province to call on airlines to operate more international flights to the airport.

In the document No 2343 issued on April 4, Deputy PM Thành agreed with the Ministry of Transport’s report on the planning of Đồng Hới Airport. Last December, the ministry submitted the proposal to upgrade the airport from domestic to international level.

Đồng Hới Airport, which was established in April 2008, is designed to handle Airbus A320, A321 and other smaller aircraft, with the capacity of two flights at the same time.

There are five domestic airlines operating at the airport at three domestic routes: Đồng Hới-Hà Nội, Đồng Hới-HCM City and Đồng Hới-Hải Phòng.

There is also a regular international flight to Chiang Mai (Thailand).

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, under the master plan for developing the national airport system in 2021-2030, Đồng Hới Airport is qualified to welcome more international flights.

When the frequency of international flights has increased to between three to five flights per week, the ministry will report to the Government for an official decision.

In February, the ministry approved a plan to build a terminal at the airport to increase the capacity to 3 million passengers. The project has total investment capital of more than VNĐ1.2 trillion on an area of 1.1 hectares.

Quảng Bình, famed for its complex cave system and beautiful beaches, has targeted welcoming about 10,000 international tourists this year. — VNS