Tan Son Nhat International Airport

Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport (IATA: SGN, ICAO: VVTS) (Vietnamese: Sân bay quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất or Cảng hàng không quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất) is the busiest international airport in Vietnam, with 32.5 million passengers in 2016[2] 38.5 million passengers in 2018,[3] and 42 million passengers in 2023.[4] It serves Ho Chi Minh City as well as the rest of southeastern Vietnam. As of April 2023, it had a total capacity of only 28 million passengers,[5] which has caused constant congestion and sparked debate for expanding or building a new airport. In 2022, It was the 34th busiest airport in the world, and the second busiest in Southeast Asia.[6]

Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport

Sân bay Quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất
Summary
Airport typePublic / military
Owner/OperatorAirports Corporation of Vietnam
ServesHo Chi Minh City metropolitan area
LocationTan Binh District
Hub for
Operating base for
Elevation AMSL10 m / 33 ft
Coordinates10°49′08″N 106°39′07″E / 10.81889°N 106.65194°E / 10.81889; 106.65194
Websitewww.vietnamairport.vn/tansonnhatairport/en
Maps
Map
SGN/VVTS is located in Ho Chi Minh City
SGN/VVTS
SGN/VVTS
Location of the airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
SGN/VVTS is located in Vietnam
SGN/VVTS
SGN/VVTS
SGN/VVTS (Vietnam)
SGN/VVTS is located in Southeast Asia
SGN/VVTS
SGN/VVTS
SGN/VVTS (Southeast Asia)
SGN/VVTS is located in Asia
SGN/VVTS
SGN/VVTS
SGN/VVTS (Asia)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
07L/25R 3,048 10,000 Concrete
07R/25L 3,800 12,467 Concrete
Statistics (2023)
Total passengers40.738.295 Increase18.85%
Source: ACV[1]

Of the routes the airport offers, the domestic Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi route is the busiest in Southeast Asia and the fifth busiest in the world, serving 10,253,530 customers in 2019.[7]

The airport's IATA code, SGN, is derived from the city's former name of Saigon.

History edit

Tan Son Nhat International Airport has its origins in the early 1930s when the French colonial government constructed a small airport with unpaved runways, known as Tân Sơn Nhứt Airfield near the village of Tan Son Nhut. By mid-1956, with U.S. aid, a 7,200-foot (2,190 m) runway had been built; the airfield near Saigon became known as South Vietnam's principal international gateway. During the Vietnam War (or Second Indochina War), Tan Son Nhut Air Base (then using the alternative spelling Tân Sơn Nhứt) was an important facility for both the U.S. Air Force and the Republic of Vietnam Air Force. Between 1968 and 1974, Tan Son Nhut Airport was one of the busiest military airbases in the world. Pan Am schedules from 1973 show that during the last days of South Vietnam, Boeing 747 service was being operated four times a week to San Francisco via Guam and Manila.[8] Continental Airlines operated up to 30 Boeing 707 military charters per week to and from Tan Son Nhut Airport during the 1968–74 period.[9]

 
Board of welcoming at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, 1967

Post-war era edit

On 9 December 2004, United Airlines became the first U.S. airline to fly to Vietnam since Pan Am's last flight during the Fall of Saigon in April 1975. Flight UA 869, operated using a Boeing 747-400 landed at Ho Chi Minh City, the terminus of the flight that originated from San Francisco via Hong Kong. On 29 October 2006, this service was switched from San Francisco to Los Angeles with a stop in Hong Kong, operating as UA 867 (also using a 747–400). In 2009, the service UA 869 has resumed once again from San Francisco via Hong Kong International Airport.[10] United ended the route to San Francisco via Hong Kong on 30 October 2011. The airline resumed the route from Ho Chi Minh City to Hong Kong after its merger with Continental Airlines. The flight until suspended, no longer made a stop at San Francisco and was flown on a Boeing 777-200ER instead of the 747-400.

In 2006, Tan Son Nhat International Airport served approximately 8.5 million passengers (compared with 7 million in 2005) with 64,000 aircraft movements.[11] It has recently accounted for nearly two-thirds of the arrivals and departures at Vietnam's international gateway airports.[12][13] Due to increasing demand (about 15–20% per annum), the airport has been continuously expanded by the Southern Airports Corporation.[13]

In 2010, Tan Son Nhat domestic terminal handled 8 million passengers, its maximum capacity. The airport reached its full capacity of 20 million passengers in 2013, two years earlier than predicted. Both domestic and international terminal are being expanded to meet the increasing demand. In December 2014, expansion for the domestic terminal was finished, boosting the terminal's capacity to 13 million passengers per annum.[14] In September 2017, People's Army of Vietnam ceded 21 hectare of military land in the vicinity of the airport to Airports Corporation of Vietnam for civil use. This gave way for the construction of 21 new aircraft parking spaces, expected to be completed by Tet holidays in 2018. Tan Son Nhat will then have 72 parking spaces for airplanes.[15]

Of the routes the airport offers, the Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi route is the busiest in Southeast Asia and the seventh busiest in the world, serving 6,769,823 customers in 2017.[16]

Passenger terminals and facilities edit

Following the opening of its new international terminal in September 2007, Tan Son Nhat has two major terminal buildings with separate sections for international and domestic flights.

The Prime Minister of Vietnam, by Decision 1646/TTg-NN, has approved the addition of 40 hectares (99 acres) of the adjacent area to extend the apron and to build a cargo terminal to handle the rapid increase of passenger (expected to reach 17 million in 2010, compared to 7 million and 8.5 million in 2005 and 2006 respectively) and cargo volume at the airport.[12][17]

Domestic terminal (T1) edit

Until the opening of the International Terminal in 2007, the domestic terminal was the sole civilian terminal of the airport. The French Indochinese administration built the original terminal. It initially covered an area of 1,800 m2 (19,000 sq ft). Between 1954 and 1975 when the airport quickly became one of the busiest airports in the world, it was expanded 4 more times: in 1956, 1960, 1963 (which was handled by the contractor RMK-BRJ[18]), and 1969.[19] By 1972, the terminal grew to 10,800 m2 (116,000 sq ft) in space[19] with a capacity of 1.5 million passengers a year.[20]

In recent history, after years of constant expansion to meet growing traffic, the terminal's handling capacity increased tenfold to 15 million passengers a year as of 2023. It has a floor area of 40,948 m2 (440,760 sq ft) with 20 boarding gates (4 aerobridge gates and 16 remote gates).[5]

The terminal has two lounges: Lotus Lounge and Le Saigonnais Lounge.

International terminal (T2) edit

A new international terminal, constructed by a consortium of four Japanese contractors (KTOM, abbreviation of four contractors' names: KajimaTaiseiObayashiMaeda), opened in December 2007 with an initial designed capacity of 10 million passengers a year. The terminal was funded by Japanese official development assistance at a cost of 219 million USD.[21]

In 2014, the terminal served over 9 million international passengers[22] and a demand of an expansion to the terminal was in sight. Plan for a 109 million-USD expansion of the international terminal was approved in August 2014.[23] The first phase of an urgent expansion to the terminal was finished in December 2016 with the addition of 2 new jet bridges and other facilities.[24] Upon the completion of phase two in 2018, the terminal has a floor area of 115,834 m2 (1,246,830 sq ft)[25] and 26 boarding gates, and can handle 13 million passengers annually.[26]

There are a total of five passenger lounges situated in the International Terminal: Lotus Lounge 1 and 2, Le Saigonnais, Orchid Lounge, and Rose Business Lounge.

Terminal 3 edit

A new passenger terminal for the airport broke ground on December 24, 2022. The new terminal will include 27 gates (13 jetbridges and 14 remote gates) for an annual handling capacity of 20 million passengers. The terminal building will have a total floor area of 112,500 m2 (1,211,000 sq ft), and will be connected with a new 130,000 m2 (1,400,000 sq ft) non-aviation services and parking complex by footbridges.[27] The project has a budget of 10,986 billion VND (US$467.6 million)[28] and is projected to be completed by the end of 2024. Upon completion, the terminal will serve domestic flights to support the current domestic terminal.[27]

Cargo terminal edit

Tan Son Nhat Airport currently has three cargo terminals. Two of them (Air Freight Terminal 1 and 2) are operated by Tan Son Nhat Cargo Services (TCS) and the other one is operated by Saigon Cargo Services Corporation (SCSC). These facilities have a handling capacity of 700,000 tonnes of cargo per year combined.

TCS's Air Freight Terminal 1 was the first cargo terminal at the airport. It was inaugurated on January 1, 1997.[29] In May 2012, Air Freight Terminal 2 was opened after 20 months of construction. The latter was built at a cost of $15 million and covers an area of 13,700 m2 (147,000 sq ft).[30]

The SCSC cargo terminal was constructed from March 2009 to December 2010 at a cost of $50 million.[31] The cargo handling area consists of a 26,670 m2 (287,100 sq ft) cargo terminal, 52,421 m2 (564,250 sq ft) of apron area, and 64,000 m2 (690,000 sq ft) of warehouse and other facilities.[32]

Runways and air control edit

 
The air traffic control tower (in background) in 1964

The airport has two parallel runways, namely 07L/25R, and 07R/25L. Since the runways are only 365 meters apart, they are operated dependently. Due to the maximum processing capacity of the passenger terminals (about 3,600 passengers/hour), the runway system's capacity is capped at 44 operations per hour.[33]

 
Former air control tower (in use 1969-2013)

The original air traffic control tower is situated between present-day taxiway M1 and NS. It was originally built in 1949 before being rebuilt in 1959.[34] During the Tet Offensive in 1968, the tower was damaged by a rocket[35] and a new tower was built in June 1969.[34]

 
The current air traffic control tower of Tan Son Nhat Airport

A new 70-meter (230-feet) tall air control tower was put into use in 2013.[36] The new airport control tower is situated in the corner area between the Domestic Terminal and the International Terminal.

There were four USAF ATRC facilities in Viet Nam in the 1960-1973 era. The one located on Tan son Nhut was designated Paris ATRC. Patty was located down in the Delta, there was one in Da Nang, and Pyramid was in the highlands. Paris operated on the top Dias inside the radar facility located mid-base with the US Army's Recovery and ground radio operations. The USAF 2027th Communications Squadron staffed the air traffic controllers that operate the scopes and handle all non-civilian in-country fixed wing radar traffic 24-7. Once Tan Son Nhut radar traffic got within 15 miles of the base it was normally handed off to Approach Control for sequencing and landing, which operated inside the air control tower. Usually none of the local helicopter traffic was under radar control; it was basically flown VFR and was based at Hotel 3. There was too much air traffic for controllers to be able to handle anything but fixed wing. In 70-71 VNAF controllers were introduced to work along side with the 2027th squadron's controllers to help with communication with pilots who did not speak English.[citation needed]

Airlines and destinations edit

Passenger edit

AirlinesDestinations
Aeroflot Moscow–Sheremetyevo[37]
AirAsia Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur–International, Penang
Air China Beijing–Capital, Chongqing[38]
Air France Paris–Charles de Gaulle
Air Premia Seoul–Incheon (suspended)[39]
All Nippon Airways Tokyo–Haneda,[40][41][42] Tokyo–Narita
Asiana Airlines Seoul–Incheon
Bamboo Airways Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi,[43] Con Dao, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Hue, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, Thanh Hoa, Vinh
Cambodia Airways Phnom Penh
Cambodia Angkor Air Phnom Penh, Siem Reap,[44] Sihanoukville
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong
Cebu Pacific Manila
China Airlines Taipei–Taoyuan
China Eastern Airlines Kunming,[45] Shanghai–Pudong
China Southern Airlines Changsha, Guangzhou,[46] Shanghai–Pudong, Shenzhen, Wuhan[47]
Emirates Dubai–International
EVA Air Taipei–Taoyuan
Hainan Airlines Haikou[48]
IndiGo Kolkata[49]
Japan Airlines Tokyo–Haneda, Tokyo–Narita
Jeju Air Seoul–Incheon
Jetstar Melbourne, Sydney
Korean Air Seoul–Incheon
Lao Airlines Pakse, Vientiane
Malaysia Airlines Kuala Lumpur–International
Mandarin Airlines Taichung[50]
MIAT Mongolian Airlines Seasonal: Ulaanbaatar[51]
Myanmar Airways International Yangon[52]
Pacific Airlines Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Buon Ma Thuot, Chu Lai, Da Lat, Da Nang, Dong Hoi, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Hue, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Pleiku, Quy Nhon, Singapore, Thanh Hoa, Tuy Hoa, Vinh
Philippine Airlines Manila
Qatar Airways Doha, Phnom Penh[53]
Royal Brunei Airlines Bandar Seri Begawan
Scoot Singapore
Shenzhen Airlines Shenzhen[54]
Sichuan Airlines Chengdu–Tianfu,[55] Nanning
Singapore Airlines Singapore
Starlux Airlines Taipei–Taoyuan[56]
Thai AirAsia Bangkok–Don Mueang
Thai Airways International Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi
Thai VietJet Air Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi[57]
Turkish Airlines Istanbul[58]
Turkmenistan Airlines Ashgabat[59]
T'way Air Seoul–Incheon
VietJet Air Adelaide,[60] Ahmedabad,[61] Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Buon Ma Thuot, Brisbane,[62] Busan,[63] Chengdu–Tianfu, Chu Lai, Da Lat, Da Nang, Delhi,[64] Denpasar,[65] Dien Bien Phu,[66] Dong Hoi, Hai Phong, Ha Long, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Hue, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta,[67] Kaohsiung, Kochi,[68] Kuala Lumpur–International,[69] Melbourne,[70] Mumbai,[71] Nha Trang, Osaka–Kansai,[72] Perth,[73] Phuket, Phu Quoc, Pleiku, Qui Nhon, Seoul–Incheon, Shanghai–Pudong,[74] Singapore,[75] Sydney,[76] Taichung,[77] Taipei–Taoyuan, Thanh Hoa, Tiruchirappalli (ends 31 March 2024),[78][79] Tokyo–Haneda,[80] Tokyo–Narita,[81] Tuy Hoa, Vientiane,[82] Vinh, Zhangjiajie[83]
Vietnam Airlines Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Beijing–Daxing,[84] Buon Ma Thuot, Busan, Chengdu–Tianfu, Chu Lai, Da Lat, Da Nang, Delhi, Dong Hoi, Frankfurt, Fukuoka, Guangzhou, Haikou,[85] Hai Phong, Ha Long,[86] Hangzhou,[87] Hanoi, Hong Kong, Hue, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta, Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur–International, Kunming,[88] London–Heathrow, Melbourne, Mumbai,[89] Munich (begins 2 October 2024),[90] Nagoya–Centrair, Nha Trang, Osaka–Kansai, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Penang, Perth, Phnom Penh, Phuket,[91] Phu Quoc, Pleiku, Qui Nhon, San Francisco,[92] Seoul–Incheon, Shanghai–Pudong, Shenzhen,[93] Siem Reap,[94] Singapore, Sydney, Taipei–Taoyuan, Thanh Hoa, Tokyo–Narita, Tuy Hoa,[95] Vientiane, Vinh, Yangon
Vietnam Airlines operated by VASCO Con Dao, Rach Gia, Ca Mau
Vietravel Airlines Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi,[96] Hanoi
Charter: Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Quy Nhon
XiamenAir Xiamen
 
Check-in desks at Terminal 2, Tan Son Nhat International Airport
 
A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-10 taxiing at the airport
 
A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 737-800 on its final approach to the airport

Cargo edit

AirlinesDestinations
Aerotranscargo Delhi, Hong Kong[97]
Air Hong Kong Hong Kong
Air Premia Seoul–Incheon[98] (suspended)
AeroLogic Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Frankfurt
AirBridgeCargo Hong Kong, Moscow–Sheremetyevo (both suspended)
Asiana Cargo Seoul–Incheon, Singapore
Cardig Air Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta, Shenzhen
Cargolux Bahrain, Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Hong Kong, Luxembourg
Cathay Cargo Hong Kong
Central Airlines Nanning
China Airlines Cargo Hanoi, Taipei–Taoyuan
China Southern Cargo Guangzhou, Hanoi
DHL Aviation
operated by Air Hong Kong
Hong Kong, Penang
Emirates SkyCargo Dubai–Al Maktoum
EVA Air Cargo Taipei–Taoyuan[99]
FedEx Express Guangzhou, Hanoi, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta
Garuda Cargo Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta
DHL Aviation
operated by Kalitta Air
Cincinnati, Hong Kong, Nagoya–Centrair, Singapore
Korean Air Cargo Seoul–Incheon
Longhao Airlines Nanning, Shenzhen
MASkargo Kuala Lumpur–International
My Indo Airlines Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta, Singapore
Qatar Cargo Doha
Raya Airways Kuala Lumpur–Subang, Labuan
Tianjin Air Cargo Nanning
Tri-MG Intra Asia Airlines Singapore[100]
Turkish Cargo Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur–International
UPS Airlines Shenzhen,[101] Honolulu, Anchorage, Louisville

Statistics edit

Busiest international flights out of Tan Son Nhat International Airport by frequency (2018–present)
Rank Destinations Frequency (weekly)
1   Singapore 103
2   Bangkok (Don Mueang + Suvarnabhumi) 102
3   Seoul–Incheon 81
4   Kuala Lumpur–International 77
5   Taipei-Taoyuan 63
6   Tokyo (Haneda + Narita) 42
7   Siem Reap 42
8   Guangzhou 42
9   Hong Kong 39
10   Phnom Penh 35
Busiest domestic flights out of Tan Son Nhat International Airport by frequency
Rank Destinations Frequency (weekly)
1 Hanoi 596
2 Da Nang 226
3 Nha Trang 111
4 Phu Quoc 107
5 Hai Phong 94
6 Vinh 92
7 Hue 91
8 Con Dao 64
9 Thanh Hoa 63
10 Da Lat 48

Aircraft movement edit

50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2022
2023

Number of passengers edit

Annual passenger traffic at SGN airport. See Wikidata query.

Cargo volume (tons) edit

2000-2019 edit

100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019

2020-present edit

100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
2020
2021
2022

Source: Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam,[22][2][102][103] Port Authority of New York and New Jersey[6][104][105]

Ground transportation edit

Bus and shuttle edit

A bus station is situated in front of the international terminal and is served by Ho Chi Minh City Bus. It is connected to the city center by bus line 109 and 152 as well as shuttle bus line 49. Connecting the airport to Vung Tau and other cities in Mekong Delta are express minibus services as well as bus line 119 (via Mien Tay Bus Station).[106]

Metro edit

The airport is expected to be served by Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 4B, connected to Line 4 and 5 with services to the southern and eastern area of the city. However, it is currently not known when the line will be constructed.[107]

Taxi edit

There are several options for getting a taxi from the airport to the city

  • Main taxi queue. Traditional taxi brands such as Vinasun and Mai Linh operate at the airport alongside Grab, a ridesharing company.[108]
  • Other taxi counters are also available in the terminal building, including SASCO, ACV Unico, Song Viet.

Road edit

Until 2016, the airport only had one main access route via Truong Son Street, which caused chronic congestion for traffic going in and out of the airport. As an effort to ease traffic bottleneck, in August 2016, Pham Van Dong Boulevard officially opened and connected the airport to National Route 1 in an intersection east of the airport.[109]

Accidents and incidents edit

Throughout its history there have been several incidents that happened at the airport, some of the most notable are summarized below:

  • On 4 April 1975, a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy, operated by the United States Air Force as part of Operation Babylift en route to Clark Air Base in the Philippines, crashed on approach during an emergency landing. Out of 328 people on board (311 passengers and 17 crew members), 155 were killed.[110]
  • On 12 January 1991, a Vietnam Airlines-operated Tupolev Tu-134, registration VN-A126, with 76 passengers on board crashed on final approach to Ho Chi Minh City. At 30 ft (9.1 m), the Tupolev suddenly lost height and landed hard, touched down with the left main gear first. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off due to substantial damage.[111]
  • On 4 September 1992, Vietnam Airlines Flight 850, an Airbus A310-300 en route from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, was hijacked by Ly Tong, a former pilot in the Republic of Vietnam Air Force. Tong proceeded to drop anti-communist leaflets over Ho Chi Minh City before parachuting out of an emergency exit. Vietnamese security forces arrested him on the ground two hours later. The aircraft landed safely, and no one on board was injured.[112]
  • On 20 November 2014, the 3-unit uninterruptible power supply of Ho Chi Minh City Area Air Control Center went offline, causing a blackout to the center that oversees air traffic from and to Tan Son Nhat from 11:05 AM to 12:19 PM. This incident also disabled the radar system, halting air traffic control capabilities. Overall, 92 flights were affected; 54 of them were within Ho Chi Minh flight information region and 8 were preparing to land at Tan Son Nhat at the time of the incident. No air traffic accident occurred and operations fully resumed by noon the next day.[113]
  • On 22 April 2017, Tan Son Nhat International Airport was the site of an alleged terrorist attack. Two remotely controlled petrol bombs were planted at the airport, one in the International Terminal while the other was placed in the airport's parking garage. The bomb in the terminal failed to detonate due to internal sabotage. The bomb in the garage initially also failed to detonate because the activator was out of range. It was subsequently moved and set off in the International Terminal's departure hall where the first bomb was originally placed. No one was injured nor killed in the attack. A total of 15 people were arrested for involvement in the attack, according to the Vietnamese state media.[114]

Future plans edit

New airport edit

Tan Son Nhat International Airport is located inside the crowded urban core of Ho Chi Minh City, making expansions difficult. In a report submitted to the Vietnamese National Assembly in 2015, legislators deemed continued expansion of Tan Son Nhat problematic in five aspects. Firstly, it would be more economically viable to build a new airport rather than extensively upgrade Tan Son Nhat. An estimated US$9.1 billion was reportedly needed for a new 4,000 m runway, a new passenger terminal and other facilities at Tan Son Nhat. Secondly, Tan Son Nhat airspace overlaps with that of Bien Hoa Airport, which is currently reserved for national defense purpose. A reduction in military activities in Bien Hoa is considered to be temporary and unsustainable. At the same time, Tan Son Nhat also acts as a strategic location in national defense; therefore, the airport cannot be used entirely for civic air transport. Additionally, due to its urban location, aside from increasing ground traffic stress in its access points, the airport cannot operate between midnight and 5AM in accordance to the International Civil Aviation Organization sustainable development goals, further limiting its capability.[115]

However, Ho Chi Minh City People's Assembly believed that building a new airport can be impractical and unrealistic, giving that the numbers supporting the new airport are "wrong calculations, magical stats" to "trick others with a purpose of serving their own designs."[116] The cost of construction is too high in the midst of already-suppressed national debt, stressing the people without fully-diagnosed value. It is believed that the delay of the expansion is due to the military-run golf course at the north of the airport, where the land is listed as "defense land." Ho Chi Minh City hired an independent French consultant firm ADPi to evaluate the suggestions. The firm supported the idea of expansion at first, but then called off and delayed its final statement, and finally released a report to support the new airport proposition. The city's Assembly responded that the report was rigged.

Following Decision 703/QĐ-TTg by the Vietnamese Prime Minister in July 2005, a new airport—Long Thanh International Airport—was planned to replace Tan Son Nhat airport for international departure use.[117] The initial master plan for the new airport was publicly announced in December 2006.[118] The new airport will be built in Long Thành District, Đồng Nai Province, about 40 km (25 mi) east of Ho Chi Minh City and 65 km (40 mi) north of the petroleum-focused city of Vung Tau, near Highway 51A.

According to the approved modified plan in 2011, Long Thanh International Airport will be constructed on an area of 50 square kilometers (19 sq mi), and will have four runways (4,000 m x 60 m or 13,100 ft x 200 ft) and be capable of receiving the Airbus A380. The project will be divided in three stages. Stage One calls for the construction of two parallel runways and a terminal with a capacity of 25 million passengers per year, due to be completed in 2020. Stage Two is scheduled for completion in 2030, giving the airport three runways, two passenger terminals and a cargo terminal designed to receive 1.5 million metric tons of cargo and 50 million passengers per year. The final stage is scheduled to be initiated after 2035, envisioned to handle 100 million passengers, 5 million metric tons of cargo annually on an infrastructure of 4 runways and 4 passenger terminals. The total budget for the first stage alone was estimated to be US$6.7 billion.[117]

After the opening of Long Thanh International Airport edit

In accordance with the master planning of Vietnam's network of airports, Tan Son Nhat will continue to operate after the opening of Long Thanh International Airport. In the feasibility report for Long Thanh, Airports Corporation of Vietnam proposed that, for international carriers, only low-cost carriers would fly out of Tan Son Nhat; while for Vietnamese carriers, only short-haul international flights and selected domestic routes would be operated out of the airport. In another report, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam presented a different approach to the division of flights between the two airports. As such, Tan Son Nhat would only serve flights under 1000 km operated by Code C aircraft or smaller.[119]

Expansion edit

Because Long Thanh will not be ready for service until at least 2025, Tan Son Nhat must expand to meet the increasing demand. In January 2017, Airport Design and Construction Consultancy (ADCC) presented 3 proposals to expand the airport. Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng agreed to proceed a US$860 million upgrade proposal for final review before submitting to the government. Under the chosen proposal, there would be a new mixed-use Terminal 3 and a civil-use Terminal 4 (to be built on the south side of the airport), a parallel taxiway between the existing runways and technical hangars on the northeast. The estimated time to complete the upgrade would be 3 years and the airport would then have a capacity of 43–45 million passengers annually.[120] The decision was controversial due to the fact that the golf course immediately north of SGN would remain untouched despite the urgent need of airport expansion.[121] The Minister of Transport Trương Quang Nghĩa explained that the airport could not be expanded northward due to costs and environmental impact.[122] On 12 June 2017, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc requested the Ministry of Transport to research the prospect of constructing a third runway at Tan Son Nhut International Airport. The French consulting company ADP Ingénierie (ADPi) was subsequently hired to provide a second opinion for the project.

In March 2018, ADPi presented their plan for the expansion. The firm advised against the construction of a third runway and supported a southward expansion plan. Without a new runway, Tan Son Nhat has a maximum capacity of 51 million passengers per year – a number ADPi predicted SGN to reach in 2025, in time for the opening of Long Thanh.[123] However, an independent consultancy of Ho Chi Minh City believed it could reach up to 80 million by the time Long Thanh was supposed to open, in accordance with reports by Boeing or the International Air Transport Association. As such, they proposed a three-phase northward expansion plan that would see a new runway and two new terminals to increase the airport's capacity to 70 million passengers per year.[124]

On 28 March 2018, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc ultimately selected the ADPi proposal as the basis for the expansion of the airport. This proposal includes a new Terminal 3 with a designed capacity of 20 million passengers per year south of Runway 07R/25L, additional facilities in the north area where a golf court currently occupies as well as improvements and constructions of access points for the airport.[125]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Hội nghị tổng kết công tác an toàn đường cất hạ cánh tại Cảng HKQT Tân Sơn Nhất năm 2023".
  2. ^ a b "ACV: Hội nghị tổng kết công tác năm 2016 và triển khai kế hoạch năm 2017". ACV. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Tân Sơn Nhất không lo sân đỗ, chỉ sợ tắc đường (Tan Son Nhat will have no problem with the apron capacity, only with the congested roads surrounding the airport)" (in Vietnamese). bao giao thong (Transport News). 8 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Tan Son Nhat applies a new 'super-cool' operating process, reducing Tet peak delays". Vn.vn. 30 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Cơ sở hạ tầng kỹ thuật". Airports Corporation of Vietnam. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b "2022 Airport Traffic Report" (PDF). Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. April 2023. p. 52.
  7. ^ "OAG Busiest routes 2020" (PDF). OAG. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  8. ^ "PA042973p30". www.departedflights.com.
  9. ^ Christian, J. Scott, former Continental employee, and manager, Bring Songs to the Sky: Recollections of Continental Airlines, 1970–1986, Quadran Press, 1998.
  10. ^ "United Airlines – Flight Timetables, Download to PC, PDA or Blackberry". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  11. ^ "Cum cang hang khong Mien Nam – Tan Son Nhat". www.tsnairport.hochiminhcity.gov.vn. Archived from the original on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2007.
  12. ^ a b "Two more Hanoi<>Saigon flights per day for Pacific Airlines". vietnamnet.net (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 11 November 2007.
  13. ^ a b "News about Tan Son Nhat International Airport on Official Website of Ministry of Transport of Vietnam, 12 November 2007, Vietnamese". Archived from the original on 12 November 2007.
  14. ^ Thái Phương (4 January 2015). "Sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất tăng năng lực phục vụ". nld.com.vn. Người Lao Động. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  15. ^ "Tân Sơn Nhất sắp có thêm 21 chỗ đậu máy bay". VNExpress. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  16. ^ "These are the top 100 busiest routes on earth". RoutesOnline. September 2018.
  17. ^ Two more Hanoi–Saigon flights per day for Pacific Airlines on "Vietnamnet.net, access date 11 November 2007, "VietNamNet - Two more Hanoi-HCM City flights". Archived from the original on 16 December 2007. Retrieved 16 December 2007.
  18. ^ Tregaskis, Richard (1975). Southeast Asia: Building the Bases; the History of Construction in Southeast Asia. Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 44.
  19. ^ a b "Tân Sơn Nhất - Phi trường nhộn nhịp hàng đầu thế giới". Tuổi Trẻ Online. 25 February 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Lịch sử hình thành và phát triển sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất". Airports Corporation of Vietnam. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  21. ^ Le, Nam (19 December 2007). "Khánh thành nhà ga sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất". Tuoi Tre Online. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  22. ^ a b "2005 – 2014 Statistics of Tan Son Nhat Intl Airport". Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  23. ^ "Đầu tư mở rộng Nhà ga quốc tế T2, Sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất". Tin nhanh chứng khoán. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  24. ^ Dinh, Tuan. "Nhà ga quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất mở rộng 8.780 m2". Vietnamnet. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  25. ^ "Đưa vào khai thác giai đoạn 2 dự án "Mở rộng nhà ga quốc tế T2" Cảng HKQT Tân Sơn Nhất". Airports Corporation of Vietnam. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  26. ^ "2.300 tỷ đồng mở rộng ga quốc tế sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất". VNExpress. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  27. ^ a b "Khởi công dự án "Xây dựng Nhà ga hành khách T3 - Cảng hàng không quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất"". Airports Corporation of Vietnam. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  28. ^ Lê Hữu Việt (12 April 2023). "Lý do dự án xây dựng nhà ga T3 sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất chậm chạp". Tiền Phong (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  29. ^ "Lịch sử hình thành". Tan Son Nhat Cargo Services. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  30. ^ "Tổ chức trang trọng Lễ khánh thành Nhà ga hàng hóa giai đoạn 2 (AFT2)". Sài Gòn Giải Phóng Online. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  31. ^ "Company Profile". Saigon Cargo Services Corporation. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  32. ^ "Cảng hàng hóa hàng không". Gemadept. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  33. ^ "Tăng tối đa slot tại Tân Sơn Nhất, Cục Hàng không đề nghị các hãng tăng chuyến". Tuổi Trẻ Online. 24 December 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  34. ^ a b "Mua đất mở rộng phi trường Tân Sơn Nhất". Tuổi Trẻ Online. 26 February 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  35. ^ "Control Tower at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Saigon after the Tet Offensive". Vietnam Center & Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  36. ^ "Hoàn thành Đài Kiểm soát không lưu Cảng hàng không quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất - một trong những đài kiểm soát không lưu hiện đại nhất Đông Nam Á". Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  37. ^ "Aeroflot Moves Ho Chi Minh City Service Resumption to 1Q24". AeroRoutes. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  38. ^ "Air China NW22 International Operations – 30OCT22". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  39. ^ "Incheon – Ho Chi Minh route suspension notice". AirPremia. 15 June 2023.
  40. ^ "ANA will fly to five new cities from Haneda Airport starting in summer 2020". Business Traveller.
  41. ^ Töre, Özgür (19 November 2019). "ANA to fly Istanbul, Milan, Moscow, Shenzhen and Stockholm in 2020". ftnnews.com.
  42. ^ "ANA to Elevate the Global Network by Adding 5 Cities to its International Service | Press Release | ANA Group Corp.'s Information". www.anahd.co.jp.
  43. ^ "Explore the world with Bamboo Airways". Bamboo Airways (in Vietnamese and English). Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  44. ^ "CAMBODIA ANGKOR AIR FILES SIEM REAP-ANGKOR INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE IN NS24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  45. ^ "China Eastern NW22 International / Regional Operations – 16OCT22". Aeroroutes.
  46. ^ "China Southern / Xiamen Airlines NW22 International / Regional Operations – 16OCT22". Aeroroutes.
  47. ^ "China Southern Resumes Wuhan – Ho Chi Minh City in 1Q24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  48. ^ "Hainan Airlines Adds Haikou – Ho Chi Minh City From mid-Jan 2024". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  49. ^ "IndiGo to start Kolkata-Ho Chi Minh City flight from October 18". India Today. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  50. ^ "MANDARIN AIRLINES RESUMES TAICHUNG – HO CHI MINH CITY SERVICE IN MID-NOV 2022". Aeroroutes. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  51. ^ "MIAT Adds Ulaanbaatar – Ho Chi Minh City Service From late-Dec 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  52. ^ "Hãng hàng không tư nhân lớn nhất Myanmar sắp có mặt tại Việt Nam" [Myanmar's largest private airline is coming to Vietnam soon]. Bao Giao Thong (in Vietnamese). 19 August 2022.
  53. ^ "Qatar Airways confirms major network expansion and resumption of flights to 11 cities". Aviacionline. 7 March 2023.
  54. ^ "Shenzhen Airlines Adds Ho Chi Minh City Service From May 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  55. ^ "Chengdu Tianfu NS23 International Network – 21MAR23". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  56. ^ "STARLUX will expand network to Ho Chi Minh City!". www.starlux-airlines.com/en-US. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  57. ^ Dusida Worrachaddejchai (15 March 2022). "Thai Vietjet eyes 8 new planes for fleet". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  58. ^ "Istanbul NEW Airport Review I One Mile At A Time". One Mile at a Time. 9 April 2019.
  59. ^ "Turkmenistan Airlines 1Q24 network additions". aeroroutes.com. 26 December 2023.
  60. ^ "VIETJET ADDS ADELAIDE TO ITS NETWORK". airlineratings. 30 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  61. ^ "Flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Ahmedabad". VietJet.
  62. ^ "VIETJET AIR ADDS BRISBANE SERVICE FROM JUNE 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  63. ^ "VietJet Air Boosts Busan Service in late-July 2022". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  64. ^ "VietJet launches flights to Delhi from Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City". Network Thoughts. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  65. ^ "Vietjet mở đường bay thẳng Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh đi Bali | Giao thông | Vietnam+ (VietnamPlus)". VietnamPlus. 13 April 2019.
  66. ^ "VietJet Air Adds Ho Chi Minh City – Dien Bien Phu Service From Dec 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  67. ^ "VIETJET AIR ADDS JAKARTA SERVICE FROM AUGUST 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  68. ^ "VIETJET AIR EXPANDS INDIA NETWORK IN AUGUST 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  69. ^ "VietJet launches its newest international route connecting Ho-Chi-Minh-City Vietnam with Kuala Lumpur Malaysia". www.vietjetair.com.
  70. ^ Ashton, Chris (11 January 2023). "Vietjet launching Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City flights". Executive Traveller. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  71. ^ "VietJet Air S20 India service expansion". Airlineroute. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  72. ^ "Vietjet Air adds Ho Chi Minh City – Osaka route from Dec 2018". routesonline. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  73. ^ "Vietjet Launches Airbus A330 Perth Route With $0 Airfares". Simple Flying. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  74. ^ "VietJet Air Schedules Additional Routes Addition in Dec 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  75. ^ "Enjoy free flights to Ho Chi Minh City on VietJet and wow gifts every day". www.vietjetair.com.
  76. ^ "Vietjet opens HCM City - Sydney route". Vietnam+. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  77. ^ "VietJet Air Dec 2022 Taiwan Service Adjustment". Aeroroutes. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  78. ^ "VIETJET AIR NW23 INDIA SERVICE EXPANSION". Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  79. ^ "VietJet Air NS24 Asia Frequency Reductions – 14MAR24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  80. ^ "VietJet Air Adds Tokyo Haneda Service From late-April 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  81. ^ "Vietjet Air adds Ho Chi Minh City – Tokyo service from July 2019". Routesonline.
  82. ^ "VietJet Air Adds Vientiane Service From late-Feb 2024". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  83. ^ "10月29日起,张家界机场将执行冬春航班计划". Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  84. ^ "Vietnam Airlines adds Beijing Daxing service from July 2020". routesonline. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  85. ^ "Vietnam Airlines adds Ho Chi Minh – Haikou from Aug 2019". Routesonline.
  86. ^ "Vietnam Airlines opens HCMC-Van Don route – Vietnam Airlines opens HCMC-Van Don route – News from Saigon Times". english.thesaigontimes.vn. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  87. ^ "Vietnam Airlines plans Hangzhou service from July 2020". Routesonline.
  88. ^ "Vietnam Airlines NW23 International Network Overview/Changes – 08OCT23". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  89. ^ "Vietnam Airlines Adds Mumbai from May 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  90. ^ https://www.aerotelegraph.com/vietnam-airlines-kommt-mit-boeing-787-nach-muenchen
  91. ^ "Vietnam Airlines expands SE Asia Network in W19". Routesonline.
  92. ^ "Vietnam Airlines direct flight to US takes off next week". VN Express. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  93. ^ "Vietnam Airlines adds Shenzhen service from late-Nov 2019". Routesonline.
  94. ^ "Transferring to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport". Vietnam Airlines. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  95. ^ "Vietnam Airlines đồng loạt mở thêm nhiều đường bay nội địa mới". Vietnam Airlines (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  96. ^ "Vietravel Airlines Begins Ho Chi Minh City – Bangkok Flights in Feb 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  97. ^ "Home". Aerotranscargo.
  98. ^ "Air Premia opens cargo flights to Vietnam". Yonhap News Agency. 12 January 2022.
  99. ^ "Flight Timetable" (PDF). EVA Air Cargo. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  100. ^ "Flight history for Tri-MG Intra Asia Airlines flight GM502". Flightradar24.
  101. ^ "UPS Airlines Announces First Flights to Vietnam – AirlineGeeks.com". AirlineGeeks.com – LIVE. LOVE. AVIATION. 19 September 2020.
  102. ^ "Cảng HKQT Tân Sơn Nhất: Top 10 sân bay với năng lực phục vụ 30–40 triệu khách/năm tốt nhất thế giới". Airports Corporation of Vietnam (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  103. ^ Hồng Hà (23 March 2018). "Hỡi nạn nhân của máy bay chậm chuyến, bạn có biết những con số này?". soha.vn (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  104. ^ "2021 Airport Traffic Report" (PDF). Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. April 2022. p. 52.
  105. ^ "2020 Airport Traffic Report" (PDF). Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. July 2021. p. 50. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  106. ^ "Mở mới tuyến xe buýt Sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất – Bến xe Miền Tây". buyttphcm.com.vn. Trung tâm Quản lý giao thông công cộng Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  107. ^ "Metro Line 4B". Management Authority for Urban Railways. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  108. ^ Hồng Châu (14 December 2017). "'Trận chiến' sân bay của taxi truyền thống và Uber, Grab". VNExpress.net. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  109. ^ Quoc Hung (31 August 2016). "Entire route of Pham Van Dong Street opens to traffic". SGGP English Edition. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  110. ^ Accident description for 68-0218 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 3 June 2018.
  111. ^ Accident description for VN-A126 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 3 June 2018.
  112. ^ Accident description for VN850 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 3 June 2018.
  113. ^ "UPS failure behind blackout at Vietnam's biggest airport: official". Tuoi Tre News. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  114. ^ "Vietnam tries plotters of Tan Son Nhat bomb attack for terrorism". Tuổi Trẻ Online. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  115. ^ "Report 886/BC-UBTVQH13" (in Vietnamese). Ministry of Justice (Vietnam). 2 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  116. ^ "Cử tri TP. HCM phản đối dự án đầu tư sân bay Long Thành". Giáo dục Việt Nam. 18 September 2013.
  117. ^ a b "Decision 909/QD-TTg" (PDF). VGP News (in Vietnamese). Government Online News Portal of Vietnam. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  118. ^ Minh Kham (25 December 2006). "Công bố quy hoạch cảng Hàng không Long Thành". Tuoi Tre Online (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  119. ^ "Sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất hoạt động ra sao khi có Long Thành?". Báo Giao Thông (in Vietnamese). 21 November 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  120. ^ "Vietnam puts $860-million upgrade plan at Saigon airport on the runway". VNExpress International. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  121. ^ Thanh, Bùi (11 June 2017). "Từ chuyện sân bay – sân golf: Cái gì nặng hơn lòng dân?". Tuổi Trẻ Online (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  122. ^ Thu Hằng; Hồng Nhì. "Mở rộng Tân Sơn Nhất về phía bắc: Hoàn toàn không khả thi". Vietnamnet (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  123. ^ "Planning row engulfs expansion of Vietnam's largest airport". VNExpress International. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  124. ^ Mai Hà (28 February 2018). "Mở rộng Tân Sơn Nhất: Tư vấn TP.HCM ngược chiều tư vấn Pháp". Thanh Niên (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  125. ^ Anh Duy; Hoàng Thuỳ; Hữu Công. "Thủ tướng quyết phương án mở rộng Tân Sơn Nhất về phía nam". VNExpress.net (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 14 May 2018.

External links edit