Thousands of employees work during the holidays to expedite the delayed construction of Long Thành airport

In a bid to expedite the development of Long Thanh International Airport, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinch has set a new deadline for the completion of the first phase, moving it up by a year to December 19, 2025. This ambitious timeline is a departure from the previously approved deadline by the National Assembly.

The state-run Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) is overseeing the US$13.5 billion development of this anticipated airport, which, upon completion, is expected to serve as one of Southeast Asia's largest airports.

Construction at the airport is ongoing, with more than 14,000 engineers and construction workers working tirelessly, including during Vietnam's National Day holiday. The underground structure and four reinforced-concrete levels are largely complete.

More than 6,000 workers are deployed at the passenger terminal of the airport, where construction runs 24 hours a day. Installations such as baggage systems and passenger walkways are now being delivered. Other packages, including internal roads, utilities, fuel infrastructure, reservoirs, cargo facilities, and power supply, have mobilized more than 3,200 workers and 3,000 machines.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinch recently inspected the construction progress at the airport in Dong Nai Province on August 3. He urged contractors to demonstrate "high determination" and to maintain quality and environmental standards while speeding up the construction process.

The development of Long Thanh International Airport has faced delays since its approval in 2015 due to factors such as slow site clearance, resettlement challenges, financing issues, and the pandemic. However, the Government is pushing to speed up the project, considering it the "heart" of the airport system.

While the specific companies involved in the project are not detailed in the available sources, it is known that it involves multiple companies, primarily Vietnamese government agencies and selected international construction and consultancy firms.

When fully developed, Long Thanh International Airport is anticipated to serve up to 25 million passengers annually in its first phase, with the potential to expand to 100 million passengers and five million tonnes of cargo annually. This expansion will undoubtedly boost Vietnam's position in the regional and global aviation market.

Thousands of employees work during the holidays to expedite the delayed construction of Long Thành airport