According to the Ministry of Transport, in implementing the overall plan for the development of the national airport system for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the Ministry has approved the task and budget for the planning of Na San Airport for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, and assigned the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to develop the plan for implementation according to regulations, expected to be completed in 2025.

Na San Airport

The Ministry of Transport affirmed that, in accordance with the directives of the Standing Committee of the Government and the Government leaders, the Ministry has recently coordinated closely with relevant ministries and agencies to review, unify, and finalize the plan for mobilizing social capital for investment, management, and operation of airport infrastructure; and has reported to the Prime Minister on the results of finalizing the plan and requested the competent authority to consider and allow the Ministry to report to the Politburo in the third quarter of 2024.

After the project is approved, the Ministry of Transport will closely coordinate with provinces and cities to build and complete a project to socialize investment and exploitation of local airports, including Na San Airport.

Previously, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam proposed that the Ministry of Transport report to the Prime Minister for approval to assign Son La province as the competent agency to implement the investment project to build Na San Airport according to regulations.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority's report, Na San Airport was built in 1950. It remained operational throughout the 1960s but ceased operations due to low passenger numbers. In 1994, Na San Airport reopened. However, in 2004, it closed again due to the deterioration of the runway, which did not meet operational standards.

The sign directs you to Na San Airport from National Highway 6.

Based on the approved Na San Airport master plan and in fulfillment of the tasks assigned by the Ministry of Transport, in 2015 the Civil Aviation Authority coordinated with the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) and relevant units to develop an investment project for the construction of the airfield, terminal, and aircraft parking area at Na San Airport with a total investment of over 1,984 billion VND. However, due to the lack of allocated funds, the project has not been able to proceed to the next stages.

In 2019, ACV continued to propose the construction project of Na San Airport according to the plan, which included a complete airfield, terminal, aircraft parking area, and civil aviation area, with a total cost of 2,268 billion VND. However, ACV's investment plan faced difficulties in securing funding and was not approved by the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises, so the project had to be halted.

In March 2022, Son La province sent a letter to the Prime Minister regarding the investment and construction of Na San airport. Accordingly, the province requested the Prime Minister to approve the investment in Na San under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and to assign Son La province as the competent state agency to implement the project. The project has a total investment of approximately 2,000 billion VND.

In the national airport system plan submitted to the Prime Minister for approval, the Ministry of Transport has outlined a plan to include Na San Airport in the national airport network.

Accordingly, by 2030, Na San will be an airport capable of operating A320/321 aircraft and equivalent models, with a capacity of 1 million passengers per year. By 2050, the airport is expected to reach a capacity of 2 million passengers per year.

Phi Long/VOV.VN