Hanoi (VNA) - Con Dao Airport served nearly 100,000 passengers between May and June, up 9.8% in departures and 4% in arrivals year-on-year, and handled 845 flights each way, thanks to added services by the Vietnam Air Service Company (VASCO), helicopters, and Vietjet Air, according to the Airports Corporation of Vietnam.
Despite growing demand, access to Con Dao remains limited due to outdated infrastructure, a short runway, and lack of night operations. The airport currently accommodates only small aircraft like ATR-72s.
Under the national airport development plan, Con Dao Airport is expected to reach an annual capacity of 2 million passengers by 2030 and 3 million by 2050.
Sun Group has proposed upgrading the airport to accommodate larger aircraft and international flights, including through potential land reclamation to expand infrastructure.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) noted that any such development must consider environmental impacts and will require international consulting due to its complexity. While private sponsorship of planning is permitted, the CAAV stressed it must comply with government regulations and not be tied to future investment rights.
Given tight public funding, the CAAV has asked the Ministry of Construction to consider accepting the sponsored planning proposal to maintain project momentum./.
