VietNamNet Bridge – Many foreign firms have shown interest in Vietnam’s airport expansion projects, especially those in the central region, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV).

The second terminal of Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi is under construction, set for completion in 2014. Many airports in Vietnam will be expanded.

Airport expansion projects are suggested for development under various investment formats. Among them, public-private partnership (PPP) attracts the attention of several foreign investors.

Work started on the Vinh Airport expansion project in Nghe An this April. When the project is completed, Vinh Airport can handle large aircrafts like A320 and A321.

Meanwhile, Cam Ranh Airport in Khanh Hoa will also get a facelift. The Ministry of Transport is considering whether to upgrade the existing runway or to build a new runway.

As planned, Cam Rank Airport will be capable of accommodating modern airplanes, including Airbus A320 and A321, Boeing B767-300, B777 and B747 in 2020. By then, it will be able to receive some 5.5 million passengers and 100,000 tons of goods each year.

The transport ministry today will have a meeting with Honeywell to discuss cooperation in aviation. In a meeting last November, the U.S. firm said it wanted to boost development of the U.S. technology in the aviation industry.

Late this May, the transport ministry had a similar meeting with the U.S. airport development company ADC & HAS. The firm expressed its interest in the projects for expansion of Cam Ranh Airport and Danang Airport.

In addition to airport expansion projects in the central region, foreign investors also eye Long Thanh International Airport, said Dinh Viet Thang, deputy director general of CAAV.

The transport ministry will organize a workshop on this airport in the coming time.

This week, the U.K. Minister of Trade and Investment Lord Green will visit Vietnam to sound out opportunities to further strengthen the bilateral trade and investment ties. He will have meetings with local officials to discuss how the U.K. can assist Vietnam in its urban development projects, including urban railway projects, Thu Thiem New Urban Area in HCMC and Long Thanh International Airport.

The number of air passengers in Vietnam is surging, ADC & HAS remarked.

International air carriers are launching more services to Vietnam. Moreover, international tourist arrivals to Vietnam have been rising, said the U.S. firm.

In related news, the government of Quang Ngai Province at a meeting with the transport ministry last Thursday proposed increasing the flight frequency of the routes from Hanoi and HCMC to Chu Lai Airport. These routes should use Airbus instead of the smaller ATR72 planes, the province suggested.

Quang Ngai also sought investment for upgrade of the airport to catch up with the rising travel demand in the central region, according to the website of CAAV.

Source: SGT