Latest Proposal on International Flight Operations at Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh Airports

Vietnam Airlines Corporation has submitted a proposal to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, outlining a coordinated operation plan between Long Thanh International Airport and Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the initial phase of Long Thanh’s operation.

Vietnam Airlines fully supports the dual-airport operation strategy presented by the Ministry of Construction to the Prime Minister earlier this month. However, the airline argues that immediately relocating all international flights with distances over 1,000 km to Long Thanh would impose significant operational and financial strain.

The proposal highlights the current challenges faced by Vietnam Airlines and other domestic carriers due to the recall of Pratt & Whitney engines on Airbus A321 aircraft and global supply chain disruptions in maintenance and repair services. Implementing the relocation plan would require an additional 5 narrow-body aircraft to maintain the current flight schedule, which is nearly impossible given the limited resources.

Given these circumstances, Vietnam Airlines proposes a flexible rollout plan for the initial phase: Long-haul routes (transcontinental flights to the Americas, Europe, and Australia) will be immediately relocated to Long Thanh, while regional Asian routes will be flexibly operated between both airports before a gradual transition as per the master plan.

“This approach not only ensures resource stability, maintains connectivity, and provides consistent market supply but also aligns with the goal of establishing Ho Chi Minh City as a regional aviation hub,” emphasized a Vietnam Airlines representative.

According to Vietnam Airlines, this flexible implementation adheres to the Party and State’s vision of developing Long Thanh into an international transit hub while ensuring harmonious operation between the two airports and benefiting Vietnamese airlines.

Regarding the operation plan for Long Thanh International Airport, the Ministry of Construction has submitted a report to the Prime Minister on the Phase 1 operation of both Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airports.

The report states that Phase 1 of Long Thanh International Airport (with a capacity of 25 million passengers annually) will operate concurrently with Tan Son Nhat International Airport under the “international airport pair” model. The government will actively coordinate and allocate the ratio of international to domestic flights during each period.

Starting in 2026, Long Thanh will handle 80% of international flights and 10% of domestic flights, while Tan Son Nhat will manage 20% of international flights and 90% of domestic flights.

Specifically, Long Thanh will oversee all international routes over 1,000 km, along with selected routes chosen by airlines. It is expected to handle 10-12% of the traffic on the Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang – Ho Chi Minh City routes.

Tan Son Nhat will focus on international routes under 1,000 km, primarily serving Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos (accounting for 15-17% of international traffic to Ho Chi Minh City). The majority of domestic operations will remain at this airport. This allocation will be reviewed and adjusted after 5 years of operation to align with demand and infrastructure capacity.

With a long-term vision, Vietnam Airlines’ proposal is seen as a balanced approach between policy requirements and market realities, minimizing operational risks, ensuring efficient use of new infrastructure, and paving the way for Long Thanh to become a major international transit hub in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.