International tourists arrive in Lâm Đồng Province on the first international flight to Liên Khương International Airport on Wednesday following a six-month closure for upgrades. — VNA/VNS Photo

LÂM ĐỒNG — Liên Khương International Airport in the Central Highland province of Lâm Đồng welcomed its first international flight on Wednesday since resuming operations following a temporary closure for a runway and taxiway rehabilitation project.

AirAsia Flight AK571 from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, landed at Liên Khương International Airport at 10.58am on the National Day, bringing the first international passengers back to Đà Lạt in nearly six months, according to the airport’s management office.

At 11.40am the same day, Flight AK572 from Đà Lạt to Kuala Lumpur took off, officially marking the resumption of scheduled international air services between Đà Lạt and Kuala Lumpur.

Resuming operations of international flights at Liên Khương International Airport is significant for Lâm Đồng’s air connectivity, tourism and economic links. The Đà Lạt–Kuala Lumpur route will make it easier for Malaysian and other international visitors to reach Đà Lạt while creating new opportunities for local residents and businesses to connect with Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

The restoration of international routes is expected to provide fresh momentum for Lâm Đồng’s tourism sector, particularly as the province steps up destination promotion, diversifies its international visitor markets and strengthens connectivity with major tourism hubs in the region.

The Airports Corporation of Việt Nam (ACV) held a ceremony on August 19 to inaugurate the project to rehabilitate the runway and taxiways at Liên Khương and welcome the resumption of the Đà Lạt–Cần Thơ route after nearly six years of suspension.

The runway and taxiway rehabilitation project at Liên Khương International Airport, with a total investment of more than VNĐ1.03 trillion (US$39.24 million), commenced on March 4 this year. The project focused on rehabilitating the 3,250m-long and 45m-wide, 09/27 (east-west aligned) runway, along with taxiways, safety areas, drainage systems, runway and approach lighting, and other facilities supporting flight operations.

The upgraded infrastructure now accommodates Code C and D aircraft, such as the B737, B757, A320, A321, A300 and ATR72, operating at their maximum allowable loads. This is an important step in enhancing the airport’s operational capacity and expanding its flight network in the coming period.

In the initial phase, the airport is expected to handle around 36-40 flights a day and serve approximately 6,800 passengers daily. Passenger throughput is projected to reach around 816,000 in the final four months of 2026.

Domestic routes linking Đà Lạt with major cities including HCM City, Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, Vinh, Hải Phòng and Cần Thơ have also resumed. On the international network, the Đà Lạt–Kuala Lumpur route is expected to operate four flights a week, while the Đà Lạt–Singapore route is scheduled to resume in December with three flights a week. — VNA/VNS