Politburo member and Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Hòa Bình is among the first guests on the Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 as it lands at Long Thành International Airport on December 19. — VNA/VNS Photos

ĐỒNG NAI — The first official flight to Long Thành International Airport – operated by the national carrier Vietnam Airlines – has landed successfully on Friday.

This is part of a nationwide series of ceremonies launching, inaugurating or technically opening 234 key projects to celebrate the 14th National Party Congress.

At 8.20am, a Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 carrying leaders of the Party, State, and central ministries touched down on Runway No. 1, marking the official start of operations for Phase 1 of the Long Thành International Airport project. 

Politburo member and Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Hòa Bình is seen on board the Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 as it lands at Long Thành Airport. VNA/VNS Photos

Among the first to disembark were Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Hòa Bình and leaders of ministries and central agencies. The delegation was welcomed by Đồng Nai Party Secretary Vũ Hồng Văn and leaders of the provincial People’s Committee.

The arrival of the first commercial passenger flight operated by Vietnam Airlines marked the official start of civil aviation operations at Long Thành International Airport.

Ceremony for first commercial flight to Long Thành International Airport. — VNA/VNS Photo

Shortly afterwards, two narrow-body aircraft operated by Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways departed from Tân Sơn Nhất Airport in HCM City and landed at Long Thành.

These flights carried flight crews and technical personnel. By midday, the aircraft took off and returned to their points of origin.

A water cannon salute welcomes the first Vietnam Airlines flight to touch down at Long Thành International Airport.

The airport is expected to become a new aviation gateway for Việt Nam, helping ease pressure on Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport and supporting long term regional development.

ACV said that despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and difficulties in site clearance, the project has achieved impressive milestones thanks to round-the-clock construction efforts and a determination to overcome adverse conditions.

Key airside components, including the runway, taxiways and apron, have been completed, enabling the airport to receive its first technical flight using a wide-body Boeing 787 on December 15.

Construction of the passenger terminal and connecting transport infrastructure is currently in its final stages, with the airport expected to be ready for commercial operations in the first half of 2026.

Runway No. 1 at Long Thành International Airport has been completed and is ready to receive the first official flight.

ACV said Long Thành is being developed as a “Smart Green Airport” meeting international five-star standards, featuring breakthrough, home-grown technologies. These include the application of biometric systems from check-in and automated self bag drop to immigration, allowing passengers to travel without traditional identity documents.

The airport will also operate an advanced Airport Operations Control Centre (Smart APOC) and one of the most modern automated baggage handling systems (BHS), directly linked to the national population database.

The terminal of Long Thanh International Airport has been completed and prepared to welcome its first official flight.

Long Thành International Airport in the southern province of Đồng Nai broke ground on January 5, 2021. Under Prime Ministerial Decision No. 1777/QĐ-TTg approving Phase I of the investment project, the airport covers an area of up to 5,000 hectares, with total state budget investment exceeding VNĐ109 trillion (US$4 billion), and is scheduled for implementation during the 2020–25 period.

A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 makes the first landing at Long Thành International Airport.

Designed to handle up to 100 million passengers and 25 million tonnes of cargo annually upon full completion, Long Thành is set to become the largest airport in Việt Nam. Prior to construction, the project underwent a prolonged and complex unexploded ordnance clearance process, carefully carried out across the entire 5,000-hectare site. — VNS