Ho Chi Minh City airport’s new terminal expected to become ‘aviation city’
The under-construction T3 terminal of Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, which carries a price tag of nearly VND11 trillion (US$448.2 million), will be developed into an ‘aviation city,’ said head of the project management board Le Khac Hong.
At a press conference on Friday to announce the progress and obstacles of the terminal project, Hong said T3, when in place, will be the largest domestic terminal in Vietnam with a capacity of 20 million passengers per year.
It will help increase the capacity of Tan Son Nhat International Airport to 50 million passengers per year.
He added that the terminal would integrate technologies and facilities, providing passengers with new experiences.
There will be aviation services inside and outside the terminal.
The ‘aviation city’ initiative is popular in foreign countries but new to Vietnam, Hong said.
The T3 terminal project includes three main components: a passenger terminal, a multi-story parking lot with non-aviation services, and a viaduct system that leads to the terminal and auxiliary items, such as an aircraft parking area and roads inside the terminal.
The passenger terminal consists of a basement and four floors with a total floor area of 112,500 square meters.
It will accommodate 90 counters, 20 automated baggage drop counters, 42 check-in kiosks, 27 doorways leading to aircraft, 16 baggage storage facilities, and 25 security gates.
The terminal will also have eight security gates and a lounge for VIP, business-class, and priority passengers.
Meanwhile, the parking lot with non-aviation services was envisaged to have two basements, four floors, and a three-story block for motorbike parking.
The construction of the T3 passenger terminal commenced on August 31 last year.
Hong informed that the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), the investor of the project, expected to put the terminal into operation by June 2025.
However, most equipment at the T3 terminal is imported from Europe, the U.S., and China, while rising tensions in the Red Sea region have delayed the delivery time.
A representative of contractor Ricons said the firm has worked closely with partners to ensure the progress of the project.
It will install equipment at the terminal between May and September this year.
By Thanh Ha & Cong Trung – Tuoi Tre News – January 21, 2024