Illustrative photo (Source:VNA) Hai Phong (VNA) - The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on May 12 launched two flights to/from the newly-upgraded Cat Bi international airport in the northern city of Hai Phong using wide-body Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The flight VN1182 from Ho Chi Minh City landed at the airport at 9:25 am while the flight VN1183 departed from Cat Bi to Ho Chi Minh City at 10:45 am.
The event demonstrated the airport’s capacity of accommodating modern airplanes, including Boeing 787, Boeing 777, Boeing 747 and similar models.
On the same day, low-cost carrier Vietjet Air held a ceremony to open new routes connecting Hai Phong with Phu Quoc, Da Lat and Buon Ma Thuot.
With the new routes, Vietjet Air now operates over 30 flights each day from and to Cat Bi, accounting for 70 percent of the airport’s capacity.
Cat Bi International Airport was put into service on May 12 after more than two years of upgrading under a plan approved by the Prime Minister in 2012.
It now becomes a 4E-level international airport under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, a first-level military airport and a standby for Hanoi-based Noi Bai International Airport .
In the first quarter of this year, the airport welcomed 363,600 passengers, up 48.7 percent and handled 1.610 tonnes of cargo, up 15 percent.
By 2020, the number of passengers is expected to reach 2.3 million while the amount of cargo will top 11,000 tonnes.-VNA
