An Urgent Call to Action: Supercharging Phu Quoc Airport to Welcome 10 Million Annual Visitors

On June 10th, in Rach Gia city, Kien Giang province, the Provincial People’s Committee worked with leaders of the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) on the management and exploitation of airports in the province.

At the discussion, the People’s Committee of Kien Giang province informed that Phu Quoc International Airport has currently reached level 4E, with a runway capable of accommodating large aircraft such as the A350 and B787, and can serve up to 4 million passengers and 5,000 tons of cargo annually.

The apron and runway have 9 parking positions for aircraft, including 1 position for large aircraft such as the B777 or equivalent.

According to the planning for the period of 2021-2030, Phu Quoc airport will be upgraded to meet the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with a capacity of about 10 million passengers and 25,000 tons of cargo per year, capable of accommodating B747, B787, A350, and equivalent aircraft.

By 2050, Phu Quoc airport is envisioned to accommodate approximately 18 million passengers and 50,000 tons of cargo annually, serving B747, B787, A350, and equivalent aircraft.

Meanwhile, Rach Gia airport, located in Rach Gia city, was built in 1960 and has been upgraded and renovated twice by the Southern Airport Cluster in 1997 and 2006, with a soft layer reinforcement in 2014. However, the operational capacity of Rach Gia airport has been decreasing year after year. Specifically, in 2022, it served over 51,200 passengers, which decreased to more than 33,300 passengers in 2023 and further dropped to over 9,500 passengers in 2024.

Currently, the airport is still in use, including a 1,500m x 30m runway, a 49.28m x 15m taxiway, and a 165.7m x 87.6m apron.

According to the master plan for the development of the national airport system for the period of 2021-2030, with a vision towards 2050, approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 648 dated June 7, 2023, Rach Gia Airport is planned as a domestic airport with a 4C level and a military airport of level II by 2050. The airport’s capacity is expected to reach 0.5 million passengers per year by 2030 and 1 million passengers per year by 2050.

The People’s Committee of Kien Giang province proposed that ACV invest in upgrading Rach Gia Airport according to the planning. This includes investing in the runway to accommodate aircraft such as the Airbus 321, attracting more airlines to operate at the airport, and investing in a terminal capable of serving 1 million passengers, to be completed before 2027 for the APEC 2027 conference.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee of Kien Giang, with the province’s growing tourism industry and the merger of An Giang and Kien Giang provinces, with the new provincial headquarters in Kien Giang, the demand for air travel is expected to increase significantly. The province aims to develop Rach Gia airport into a multi-functional aviation area, strategically connecting with the “pearl island” of Phu Quoc and promoting the development of the Mekong Delta region.

Regarding the expansion of Phu Quoc International Airport to serve the APEC 2027 conference, the government has assigned the People’s Committee of Kien Giang province to select domestic investors and implement the project, ensuring its dual civilian and military use.

The province is responsible for approving the investment policy for the Phu Quoc International Airport expansion project within its authority and ensuring the selection of investors, the quality of construction, and the timely completion of the project to serve the APEC 2027 conference.

According to Mr. Vu The Phiet, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ACV, the corporation has completed the inspection of aviation infrastructure assets, the measurement and determination of the scope and boundaries of land assets owned by the enterprise and the state, and the responsibility for maintenance and operation of the infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted and absolutely safe exploitation, management, and operation of Phu Quoc International Airport during the expansion project.