Tho Xuan Airport

Under the local authorities’ discussion, the planning revision will be divided into two phases. The first phase is aimed at improving facilities to serve around 5 million passengers per year for both local and foreign air routes by 2030.

Meanwhile, the second phase scheduled until 2050 is designed to build more facilities, including runways, parking areas for the target of welcoming 20 million passengers per year.

Mai Xuan Lien, vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee asked the Transport Department to work with the Ministry of Planning and Investment on passenger increase possibilities in the coming time based on experiences from other airports in the country.

Lien added that the plan that Tho Xuan is expected to become a relief airport for Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport needed to be added into the planning.

The planning has to separate runway for flights to take off and land off, instead of the same runway at many domestic airports at present, Liem emphasised.

He also urged the department to early report the planning to the provincial people’s committee for consideration before being submitted to the Ministry of Transport.

Last year, The Ministry of Transport has approved the upgrading of Tho Xuan Airport to an international airport.

The airport located some 45 kilometres to the west of Thanh Hoa City. It is used for both civil and military purposes.