HÀ NỘI — Construction of Việt Nam's Long Thành International Airport has entered its final six-month sprint, with the State-owned Airports Corporation of Việt Nam (ACV) targeting commercial operations by December this year.

The mega-project, located in the southern province of Đồng Nai and set to be the country's new main international air hub, has completed around 77 per cent of construction work, according to ACV. The corporation said it was mobilising all available resources to ensure the airport would meet the Government's deadline.

As of June 18, total disbursement had reached approximately VNĐ43.54 trillion out of the VNĐ86.35 trillion in signed contracts, equivalent to 50 per cent of the total contract value. Disbursement for the 16 construction packages stood at 48 per cent, with a further VNĐ2.66 trillion and another US$5.2 million expected to be disbursed by June 30 to maintain the project's accelerated construction pace.

The project continues to face challenges, including a shortage of around 1,700 workers and delays in processing design documents, which have put pressure on construction schedules.

More than 7,300 workers are currently on site, and ACV aims to increase the workforce to nearly 9,000 to accelerate construction and finalise paperwork required for commissioning.

A major milestone was achieved earlier this month when the airport's power system was successfully energised, providing the stable electricity needed for testing and operation of key infrastructure systems.

Several critical components of the airport are nearing completion. The passenger terminal is expected to be ready for technical operations by September, while the runway and aircraft parking areas have largely completed their main construction work.

Supporting infrastructure, including fuel supply systems, wastewater treatment facilities and road connections, is also progressing and is scheduled for completion in the coming months.

ACV plans to begin integrated trial operations in September to test coordination between the runway, terminal and operational systems before seeking final safety certifications.

The airport developer said it was adopting a phased approach of testing and commissioning facilities as they are completed to shorten the overall delivery schedule.

The project has also been affected by rising construction costs. Contractors reported that prices for key materials, including steel, sand, stone and asphalt, had increased by between 5 and 10 per cent since February, adding to financial pressures.

ACV has asked relevant ministries for guidance on contract adjustments and payment mechanisms to help address rising costs and avoid delays.

The airport welcomed its first civil aviation flight at the beginning of 2026, a Vietnam Airlines aircraft, marking another significant step towards its planned opening later this year.

According to the ACV, domestic carriers have submitted preliminary operating plans for the new airport.

The national carrier, Vietnam Airlines, has proposed transferring four international services linking HCM City with Beijing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Manila to Long Thành. The routes account for around 12 per cent of the flag carrier's international operations in the HCM City market.

By the summer 2027 schedule, the budget carrier Vietjet plans to station eight to 10 narrow-body aircraft at the airport, operating both domestic routes and regional services to Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. The airline also intends to deploy wide-body Airbus A330-300 and A330-900 aircraft on longer-haul services to India, Australia and Europe, and has committed to launching at least two international routes during the airport's initial phase.

Vietravel Airlines plans to begin commercial operations at Long Thành by the end of 2026 and increase services from the summer 2027 schedule, although it has yet to disclose specific routes or fleet deployment plans.

Beyond the domestic carriers, ACV has conducted surveys with Korean Air, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines, and has held discussions with representatives of 34 international airlines.

The airport operator is also promoting 21 additional international routes to destinations in China, Taiwan (China), India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, the US and Europe. These new services are expected to bring an additional two million passengers annually to Long Thành by 2030. — VNS