A wide-body Boeing 787-9 aircraft operated by Vietnam Airlines landed safely at Long Thành International Airport in a test flight on December 15 afternoon. — VNA/VNS Photo Công Phong

ĐỒNG NAI — A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Vietnam Airlines landed safely at Long Thành International Airport at 4pm on Monday, marking the success of the airport’s first technical flight ahead of its official opening.

The wide-body aircraft, flight code VN5001, departed Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City at 3:34 pm and touched down on Runway No.1 at the under-construction airport in the southern region.

The flight tested and assessed operational systems at Long Thành, Việt Nam's largest aviation infrastructure project, designed to ease pressure on the overcrowded and ageing Tân Sơn Nhất and establish a regional air hub.

The aircraft, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, registration VN-A863, is the largest wide-body type in Vietnam Airlines’ fleet, normally seating about 340 passengers for long-haul international flights. The test carried only flight crew and technical staff, with no passengers or cargo onboard.

During the exercise, the aircraft followed full standard operating procedures for departure, approach and landing, enabling authorities to evaluate coordination between Tân Sơn Nhất and Long Thành airports.

After stopping on the runway, ground handling teams carried out test scenarios, including positioning a boarding staircase at the mid-cabin door to check embarkation and disembarkation procedures. The flight crew then received operational instructions and completed the required steps according to pre-established scenarios.

Preparations for the landing were largely completed by 2:30pm. Leaders of Airports Corporation of Việt Nam (ACV), contractors and relevant units were present in the passenger terminal, while hundreds of engineers and workers gathered to witness the milestone.

Specialised vehicles cleared the apron and taxiways of debris such as gravel, concrete fragments and metal, while security measures were heightened across the area. ACV confirmed that construction activities near the runway were temporarily suspended, and surrounding areas were watered and cleaned to minimise dust.

After completing the tests, the aircraft returned to Tân Sơn Nhất.

Long Thành Airport spans 5,000 hectares in Long Thanh Commune, Đồng Nai Province, with a total investment of VNĐ336.6 trillion (over US$12.7 billion), and is being developed in three phases.

Phase 1 includes an air traffic control tower, a 4,000m by 75m runway, a passenger terminal with a capacity of 25 million passengers per year, cargo facilities handling up to 1.2 million tonnes annually, and supporting infrastructure. Basic construction is set for completion in 2025, with commercial operations expected in the first half of 2026. The total investment for this phase exceeds VNĐ99 trillion (over US$3.7 billion).

A bird-eye's view of Long Thành International Airport. — Photo courtesy of the Airports Corporation of Việt Nam

Key infrastructure, including the runway, aircraft parking stands, air traffic control facilities and technical systems, has been largely completed. The runway lighting system has been successfully tested and meets International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, while the ILS/DME precision landing system ensures safe approaches even in adverse weather conditions.

Calibration flights conducted from September 26 to October 2 confirmed Long Thành's readiness to receive aircraft from December 19.

Next, three flights operated by Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways will make the first official inaugural landings at Long Thành International Airport on Friday, according to the aviation authority.

Vietnam Airlines' Boeing 787 Dreamliner landed on December 15 afternoon at Long Thành International Airport. — Photo from Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines will operate a Boeing 787 departing Hà Nội at 6.15am, carrying delegates and senior Party and State leaders, and landing at Long Thành at 8am. Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways will use A320/A321 aircraft departing Tân Sơn Nhất Airport in Hồ Chí Minh City at 8am, landing at Long Thành at 8.40am, carrying flight crews and technical staff.

The aviation administration has requested the airlines to coordinate proactively with Long Thành International Airport to prepare operating conditions for the airside system in line with airline requirements, while also ensuring aircraft, flight crews and necessary technical personnel are fully ready. — VNS

Water salute for the Vietnam Airlines after making successful landing at Long Thành International Airport on December 15. — Photo from Vietnam Airlines