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

Na San Airport

The Ministry of Transport affirmed that, implementing the direction of the Government Standing Committee and Government leaders, the Ministry has recently closely coordinated with relevant ministries and branches to review, unify and complete the project on orientation for mobilizing social capital to invest, manage and exploit airport infrastructure; reported to the Prime Minister on the results of completing the project and proposed competent authorities 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 report of the Civil Aviation Authority, Na San airport was built in 1950. In the 1960s, this airport maintained its operations but after a period of suspension due to low passenger numbers. In 1994, Na San airport was put back into operation. In 2004, Na San airport was closed again due to the runway being degraded and not meeting operational standards.

Sign to Na San airport from National Highway 6.

Based on the approved planning of Na San Airport and implementing the tasks assigned by the Ministry of Transport, in 2015, the Civil Aviation Authority coordinated with the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) and related units to establish an investment project to build an airport, terminal, and aircraft parking lot at Na San Airport with a total investment of more than VND 1,984 billion. However, due to the inability to arrange capital, the project has not been able to implement the next steps.

In 2019, ACV continued to propose the project to build Na San Airport according to the plan, including a complete airport area, terminal, aircraft parking area, and civil aviation area with a total cost of VND 2,268 billion. However, ACV's investment plan encountered difficulties in capital sources and was not approved by the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises, so the project had to stop implementation.

In March 2022, Son La province sent an official dispatch to the Prime Minister regarding the investment in the construction of Na San airport. Accordingly, the locality proposed that the Prime Minister approve the investment policy of Na San under the PPP form and assign Son La province as the competent State agency to implement the project. The project has a total investment of about 2,000 billion VND.

In the national airport system planning submitted to the Prime Minister for approval, the Ministry of Transport plans to include Na San Airport in the national airport network planning.

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

Phi Long/VOV.VN