Chu Lai Airport to Be Put into Operation Soon

3:26:23 PM | 7/8/2005

After nearly thirty years lying inactive, Chu Lai airport is being upgraded. The Civil Aviation Authority in the Central Region is carrying out construction of a terminal in the airport. It is expected that at by the end of 2004 or early 2005, the first flight of an ATR 72 or F-70 will take off from Chu Lai airport, opening the skies of the central province of Quang Nam.

*Need to upgrade Chu Lai airport

The development of Chu Lai civil airport is an important issue, and is part of the government’s strategy to boost the economy in the central region. It is also part of the strategy to enhance the development of the country’s aviation sector. Reopening Chu Lai airport will create momentum for the development of other economic sectors. When the airport becomes operational, it will help attract investors into the region, create great prospects for the local development of tourism and export of the fisheries industry, which are considered strong advantages of the region. The Prime Minister on October 24, 1997 approved a scheme of developing the airport network nation-wide and Chu Lai will become one of six major airports including Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, Danang, Long Thanh and Cat Bi.

After investigating the situation of the airport and estimating the number of potential passengers, Vietnam’s Aviation Authority decided to quickly upgrade the Chu Lai airport for operation. Chu Lai airport still has relatively good infrastructure including a runway and parking areas. With a total area of nearly 3,000 ha, Chu Lai airport is now the largest airport in Vietnam and in the region. It will be able to serve aeroplanes 24 hours a day every day of the year.

*Effects of operation of Chu Lai civil airport

According to market surveys, domestic flights from Chu Lai to Ho Chi Minh City and from Chu Lai to Hanoi will see a considerable number of passengers. However, the biggest effect will be seen when Chu Lai airport becomes an international shipment point for cargo in the northern Asian and Pacific region.

With the ability to receive flights from areas within a radius of 3,000 km, Chu Lai airport will aim at the southern areas of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines and Thailand, where the total population is around one billion. Upgrading Chu Lai airport is also a political task, meeting the development needs of the central region of Vietnam. In the immediate future, the results of the airport may be not impressive, but in the long-term, it will be one of the largest goods shipment points in Southeast Asia. To this end, huge investment is required. The airport must build one more runway in the East. In the first phase for development of the airport, Chu Lai airport will resume commercial operation after receiving some repairs. Recently, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam approved a technical design for the first phase of upgrading the airport with total investment of VND84.301 billion (US$5.4 million). The Civil Aviation Authority in the Central Region is actively boosting construction of a terminal on a total area of 1,800 sq. m and using a total space of 3,500 sq. m. The terminal will serve around 300 domestic passengers.