A Historic Airport in Vietnam Receives an Unprecedented Proposal: What’s the Plan?

Unprecedented Proposal for Con Dao Airport

Last week, the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority (CAAV) submitted a document to the Ministry of Construction providing feedback on Sun Group’s proposal to sponsor the planning of Con Dao Airport. Notably, the planning proposal includes the potential for airport construction through land reclamation – an unprecedented approach in Vietnam.

According to the CAAV’s document, due to the geographical characteristics of Con Dao Island, the planning proposal should consider the possibility of airport construction by reclaiming land from the sea. However, the authority emphasizes that the consulting unit responsible for the planning must thoroughly assess the environmental impact on the marine ecosystem, including the potential effects of protective dikes, aviation infrastructure, and other related constructions.

Vietnam has not previously implemented a large-scale airport project through land reclamation. Therefore, to ensure the quality and feasibility of the design, the involvement of international consulting firms with expertise and experience in airport planning on islands is essential, as highlighted by the CAAV in their document to the Ministry of Construction.

Additionally, the CAAV requires the sponsor to closely coordinate with the Ministry of Construction, the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority, and other relevant agencies during the planning process to ensure progress and the overall quality of the design.

In terms of legal aspects, the CAAV affirms that the enterprise’s proposal to sponsor the planning of Con Dao Airport is entirely in line with current regulations. However, the authority notes that the reception process must strictly adhere to the provisions of Decree No. 05/2021/ND-CP. Specifically, there should be no binding conditions related to investment, exploitation, or airport development in the future.

What Does the Enterprise’s Proposal Entail?

In their document to the Ministry of Construction, the aforementioned enterprise stated that according to the Master Plan for Con Dao Tourism Development approved by the Prime Minister, by 2030, the locality is expected to attract approximately 300,000 visitors per year, with 40% being international tourists. However, the current reality shows that the number of visitors to Con Dao has already exceeded this target by over 60%, indicating that the demand for tourism far surpasses the expectations of the old planning scenario.

Despite the surging demand, accessing Con Dao remains challenging due to limited transportation infrastructure, which is also weather-dependent. Currently, Con Dao Airport can only accommodate small aircraft like the ATR-72. The airport infrastructure has deteriorated, and the short runway, along with the lack of support for night flights, results in limited flight frequencies and routes.

To address this situation, the enterprise proposes upgrading and expanding Con Dao Airport to a 4E-level airport according to ICAO standards, aiming to increase its capacity to 2 million passengers per year by 2030.

If approved, the airport will be able to accommodate wide-body aircraft such as the A320, A321, A350, and Boeing 787, as well as international flights from Japan, South Korea, Europe, and the Americas. Additionally, the new airport will ensure the capability to receive military aircraft, serving the requirements of national defense and protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands.

Sun Group’s proposal aligns with the Master Plan for the Development of Airports and Airports Nationwide for the period 2021-2030, with a vision towards 2050. Accordingly, Con Dao Airport is planned to have a capacity of 2 million passengers per year by 2030 and 3 million passengers per year by 2050.

It is known that Con Dao Airport has a history dating back to the French colonial period. In 2003, the Southern Airport Corporation invested in upgrading the runway, apron, and terminal, enabling the airport to accommodate short-haul aircraft such as the ATR-72 and F70. However, after more than two decades of operation, the current infrastructure no longer meets the rapid growth in Con Dao’s tourism industry.