HMC City Rejects Airport Expansion

 

 

Ho Chi Minh City has rejected plans to expand its airport on practicality grounds and instead wants work on a new airport in neighbouring Dong Nai Province speeded up. 

 

The 1,500-hectare Tan Son Nhat International Airport currently has nearly 590.5 hectares under civilian use and the rest for military activities, but is located in a very densely populated area, which raises questions about the wisdom of expanding it.

Its current capacity is around 20 million passengers per year, meaning the transportation system connecting the airport with the city is frequently overloaded, according to the city people’s committee.

If the airport’s annual capacity is to be raised to 50 million passengers, it will have to expand to the north, where around 640 hectares need to be cleared and 140,000 households moved. Expansion will cost an estimated US$9.15 billion if the land is acquired at official prices, and much higher if based on market rates, according to the city administration.

An expanded airport will surely worsen the noise and air pollution in one of the country’s most densely populated cities.  Urban development and airspace management by the Ministry of Defence will also be impacted, the people’s committee fears.

The city has urged the Ministry of Transport to soon begin work on Long Thanh Airport in Dong Nai instead.