ĐÀ NĂNG — After 18 months of construction, Đà Nẵng International Airport officially launched its new terminal at a ceremony held yesterday.

The project is a key part of preparations for the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Summit, which will be hosted in the city this November.

The new terminal, which covers an area of 21,000sq.m, with total investment of VNĐ3.5 trillion (US$155 million), offers 82 counters for check-in, check-out, migration and immigration, as well as 10 boarding gates that will accommodate six million passengers per year, and serve 1,600 passengers at peak hours.

General Director of the Đà Nẵng International Terminal Investment and Operation, Lê Khắc Hồng said the introduction of the new terminal would help ease the overloading that occurred at the old terminal.

He said that Đà Nẵng Airport is already overloaded with an estimated 6.5 million arrivals per year.

"The new terminal will have seven more hangars bringing the total to 21, an upgraded runaway and a landing area for backed-up flights in the near future," Hồng said.

The city’s airport is now the third largest airport in Việt Nam, after Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội and Tân Sơn Nhất in the southern economic hub of HCM City. It is an important gateway to the central and Central Highlands region.

The airport accommodates 150 flight arrivals and departures, 15,000 passengers and about 50 tonnes of cargo every day. An additional cargo terminal is also planned which would add 16,000 tonnes of cargo capacity.

Last week, national carrier Vietnam Airlines and budget Jetstar Pacific Airlines began using the new terminal for their international flights.

Last year, the Government allocated VNĐ400 billion (US$17.9 million) from the central government budget to support Đà Nẵng’s preparations to host the 2017 APEC Summit.

Last month, the city also started a countdown to the 2017 APEC Summit in Đà Nẵng.

As planned, the city will host heads of state and CEOs from 21 member nations during the week of November 5 to 11. — VNS