Local authorities of
the mountainous northern province of Dien Bien on October 24 announced their
upgrade plan for Dien Bien Airport (Source: www.baodienbienphu.com.vn)
The airport is expected to cover 201ha and will be upgraded at a
cost of 3.54 trillion VND (156.01 million USD). Of the sum, nearly 2.15
trillion VND (94.6 million USD) will be spent from 2017-2020.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the airport will serve
more domestic and international flights for civilians and the military. It is
hoped to serve 300,000 passengers and handle 500 tonnes of cargoes per year by
2020 with flights to Noi Bai (Hanoi) and Cat Bi (Hai Phong city)
airports.
By 2030, the airport is set to serve two million passengers and
handle 10,000 tonnes of cargo a year. It is expected to link with Da Nang
city’s airport and Tan Son Nhat airport of Ho Chi Minh City and airports in
Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and China.
The upgrade includes plans for terminals, platforms,
administrative areas, non-aviation services, drainage and electricity systems,
among others.
Mua A Son, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee said that
the province holds great potential for tourism, especially heritage tourism
with Dien Bien Phu historic site. However, Dien Bien Airport can currently only
receive ATR72 airplanes or below and only operate routes between Dien Bien and
Hanoi.
The upgrade of the airport is expected to enhance the
socio-economic development, tourism and transportation of Dien Bien, helping
the province attract more investment.-
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