HCM CITY — Minister of Transport Nguyễn Văn Thể urged related authorities to immediately implement all necessary solutions to increase capacity and cope with serious traffic congestion at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport.

“The Long Thành International Aiport will be open in 2025. From now to 2025, Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport still plays a very important role and we must expand the service capability of the airport, as well as solve traffic congestion around the airport,” Thể said on Friday’s meeting.

The minister agreed to connect the T1 terminal through a parking area in order to reduce pressure for Tân Sơn Nhất Airport’s domestic terminal.

He also instructed related authorities to re-organise T1 and T2 terminals with priority to serve customers rather than business.

Thể suggested studying flyovers to serve airport customers from Trường Sơn and Phạm Văn Đồng streets.

At present, the French ADP has signed a contract to be a consultant for Tân Sơn Nhất Airport’s expansion.

Studies by the French consultant to review the airport would delay expansion.

“The Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam should set a detail plan for foreign consultants and prepare everything to be ready to start expansion right after the consultant’s design is approved,” he said.

The minister also requested related authorities to prepare a construction plan for T4 terminal.

It is expected that this year, Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport will welcome 35.6 million passengers while its current capacity is 28 million customers each year.

At present, the airport has 52 parking places for airplanes while demand is for 80-82 planes. The situation may improve as the airport has received 21ha of land from the Ministry of Defence to expand the parking area. The work is planned to be completed by May next year.

The Tân Sơn Nhất Airport now has T1 and T2 terminal. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Trasnport suggested to build T4 terminal at a designed capacity of 15 million customers and increase total capacity for the airport to 45 million passengers each year. — VNS