Tan Son Nhat International Airport

For the military use of the facility during and after the Vietnam Wars, see Tan Son Nhat Air Base.
Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport
Sân bay Quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất
IATA: SGN – ICAO: VVTS
Summary
Airport type Public / Military
Owner Vietnamese government
Operator Airports Corporation of Vietnam
Serves Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Location Tan Binh District
Hub for
Elevation AMSL 10 m / 33 ft
Coordinates 10°49′08″N 106°39′07″E / 10.81889°N 106.65194°E / 10.81889; 106.65194Coordinates: 10°49′08″N 106°39′07″E / 10.81889°N 106.65194°E / 10.81889; 106.65194
Website http://tansonnhatairport.vn
Map
SGN

Location of the airport in Vietnam

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
07L/25R 3,050 10,007 Concrete
07R/25L 3,800 12,467 Concrete
Statistics (2015)
Total passengers 26,549,829
(Increase 19.8%)
International passengers 35,304,879 (Increase 12.9%)
Aircraft movements 181,201 (Increase 18.0%)
Airfreight (tonne) 930,627 (Increase 4.52%)
Source: ACV [1]

Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport (IATA: SGN, ICAO: VVTS) (Vietnamese: Sân bay quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất, Vietnamese: Cảng hàng không quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất) is the largest and the busiest airport in Vietnam with more than 23 million passenger movements per year.[2] As of November 2016, it had a total capacity of 28 million passengers, which has caused constant congestion and sparked debate for expanding or building a new airport. It was also among the top 50 busiest airports in the world in terms of passengers handled in 2015,[1] serving Ho Chi Minh City as well as the rest of southeastern Vietnam. Its IATA code, SGN, is derived from the city's former name of Saigon.

History

Tan Son Nhat International Airport has its origins in the early 1930s, when the French colonial government constructed a small airport with unpaved runways, known as Tân Sơn Nhất Airfield near the village of Tan Son Nhat. By mid-1956, with U.S. aid, a 7,200-foot (2,190 m) runway had been built and the airfield near Saigon became known as South Vietnam's principal international gateway. During the Vietnam War (or Second Indochina War), Tan Son Nhut Air Base (then using the alternative spelling Tân Sơn Nhứt) was an important facility for both the U.S. Air Force and the South Vietnamese Air Force. Between 1968 and 1974, Tan Son Nhut Airport was one of the busiest military airbases in the world. During the last days of South Vietnam, Pan Am schedules from 1973 showed Boeing 747 service was being operated four times a week to San Francisco via Guam and Manila.[3] Continental Airlines operated up to 30 Boeing 707 military charters per week to and from Tan Son Nhut Airport during the 1968–74 period.[4]

Post-war era

On 9 December 2004, United Airlines became the first U.S. airline to fly to Vietnam since Pan Am's last flight during the Fall of Saigon in April 1975. Flight UA 869, operated using a Boeing 747-400 landed at Ho Chi Minh City, the terminus of the flight that originated from San Francisco via Hong Kong. On 29 October 2006, this service was switched from San Francisco to Los Angeles with a stop in Hong Kong, operating as UA 867 (also using a Boeing 747-400). In 2009, the service UA 869 has resumed once again from San Francisco via Hong Kong International Airport.[5] United ceased the route to San Francisco via Hong Kong on 30 October 2011. The airline resumed the route from Ho Chi Minh City to Hong Kong after its merger with Continental Airlines. The flight no longer makes a stop at San Francisco and it was flown on a Boeing 777-200ER instead of a Boeing 747-400.

In 2006, Tan Son Nhat International Airport served approximately 8.5 million passengers (compared with 7 million in 2005) with 64,000 aircraft movements.[6] It has recently accounted for nearly two-thirds of the arrivals and departures at Vietnam's international gateway airports.[7][8] Due to increasing demand (about 15–20% per annum), the airport has been continuously expanded by the Southern Airports Corporation.[8]

Tan Son Nhat International Airport served 12.4 million passengers in 2008, compared to 11 million in 2007 and 15.5 million passenger in 2010. In 2010, the domestic terminal handled 8 million passengers which reached its maximum capacity. The airport reached its full capacity of 20 million passengers in 2013, two years earlier than predicted. Both domestic and international terminal are being expanded to meet the increasing demand. In December 2014, expansion for the domestic terminal was finished, boosting the terminal's capacity to 13 million passengers per annum.[9] The expansion plan also includes increasing the capacity of the international terminal up to 13 million passengers per year, 10 new parking spaces and a new taxiway. After extension, planned to be completed in 2015, Tan Son Nhat will be able to handle 25 million passengers per year with space for 60 aircraft.[10]

International terminal

Passport check in the international terminal (August 2007)

A new international terminal funded by Japanese official development assistance and constructed by a consortium of four Japanese contractors (KTOM, abbreviation of four contractors' names: Kajima – Taisei – Obayashi – Maeda), opened in September 2007 with a capacity for 12 million passengers a year. The new terminal gives the airport a total annual capacity of 20 million passengers. The old terminal is now used for domestic flights.[11] After 2020, when Long Thanh International Airport is completed, Tan Son Nhat will remain operational; however, it will mostly serve for domestic flights, a few international flights and no longer serve transit flights.

Facilities

Following the opening of its new international terminal in September 2007, Tan Son Nhat has two major terminal buildings with separate sections for international and domestic flights. The capacity of the new terminal, once fully completed, will be 8 million passengers per annum. When Long Thanh International Airport is completed, Tan Son Nhat will serve domestic passengers only.

The Prime Minister of Vietnam, by Decision 1646/TTg-NN, has approved the addition of 40 hectares (99 acres) of adjacent area to extend the apron and to build a cargo terminal to handle the rapid increase of passenger (expected to reach 17 million in 2010, compared to 7 million and 8.5 million in 2005 and 2006 respectively) and cargo volume at the airport.[7][12]

Bus lines 152 and 109 (direct route) currently connect the airport to city center. Express minibus serves connections to Vung Tau and other cities in Mekong Delta.

Airlines and destinations

Check-in desks at terminal 2, Tan Son Nhat International Airport
Level 3 of terminal 2, Tan Son Nhat International Airport
Business lounge of Tan Son Nhat International Airport
Vietnam Airlines Boeing 777-200ER taxiing at Tan Son Nhat International Airport
Vietnam Airlines A350-900 taking off at Tan Son Nhat International Airport

Passenger

AirlinesDestinationsTerminal
Aeroflot Moscow–Sheremetyevo 2
Air Astana Almaty 2
Air China Beijing–Capital 2
Air France Paris–Charles de Gaulle 2
AirAsia Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur–International, Penang 2
Air New Zealand Seasonal: Auckland 2
All Nippon Airways
operated by Air Japan		 Tokyo–Narita 2
Asiana Airlines Seoul–Incheon 2
Cambodia Angkor Air Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville 2
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong 2
Cebu Pacific Manila 2
China Airlines Taipei–Taoyuan 2
China Eastern Airlines Kunming, Shanghai–Pudong 2
China Southern Airlines Guangzhou, Shanghai-Pudong,[13] Shenzhen 2
Emirates Dubai–International 2
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi 2
EVA Air Taipei–Taoyuan 2
Finnair Seasonal: Helsinki 2
Japan Airlines Tokyo–Haneda, Tokyo–Narita 2
Jetstar Asia Airways Singapore 2
Jetstar Pacific Airlines Buon Ma Thuot, Chu Lai, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Vinh, Da Lat, Thanh Hoa, Quy Nhon, Dong Hoi, Tuy Hoa, Nha Trang 1A
Jetstar Pacific Airlines Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Guangzhou,[14] Hong Kong,[14] Singapore 2
Korean Air Seoul–Incheon 2
Lao Airlines Pakse 2
Malaysia Airlines Kuala Lumpur–International 2
Malindo Air Kuala Lumpur–International 2
Mandarin Airlines Taichung 2
Nok Air Bangkok–Don Mueang 2
Philippine Airlines Manila 2
Qatar Airways Doha, Phnom Penh 2
Royal Brunei Airlines Bandar Seri Begawan 2
Sichuan Airlines Nanning 2
Singapore Airlines Singapore 2
Thai AirAsia Bangkok–Don Mueang 2
Thai Airways Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi 2
Thai Lion Air Bangkok–Don Mueang[15] 2
Thai Vietjet Air Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi 2
Tigerair Singapore 2
Turkish Airlines Istanbul–Atatürk 2
T'way Airlines Seoul-Incheon 2
Vanilla Air Taipei-Taoyuan, Tokyo-Narita 2
Vietjet Air Buon Ma Thuot Chu Lai, Da Lat, Da Nang, Dong Hoi, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Hue, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Pleiku , Qui Nhon, Thanh Hoa, Vinh 1B
VietJet Air Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Hong Kong (begins 9 December 2016),[16] Kaohsiung (begins 12 December 2016),[17] Kuala Lumpur–International, Seoul–Incheon, Singapore, Taichung (begins 15 January 2017),[18] Tainan, Taipei–Taoyuan, Yangon 2
Vietnam Airlines Buon Ma Thuot, Da Lat, Da Nang, Dong Hoi, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Hue, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Pleiku, Qui Nhon, Rach Gia, Thanh Hoa, Vinh 1A
Vietnam Airlines
operated by VASCO 		Ca Mau, Chu Lai, Con Dao, Tuy Hoa 1A
Vietnam Airlines Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Busan, Frankfurt, Fukuoka, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Jakarta–Soekarno–Hatta, Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur–International, London–Heathrow, Moscow–Domodedovo, Melbourne, Nagoya–Centrair, Osaka–Kansai, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Phnom Penh, Seoul–Incheon, Shanghai–Pudong, Siem Reap, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei–Taoyuan, Tokyo–Narita, Yangon
Charter: Chengdu (begins 12 January 2017),[19] Hangzhou 		2
XiamenAir Xiamen[20] 2

^1 Turkish Airlines's flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Istanbul make a stop or continue on to Hanoi. Turkish Airlines, however, does not have eighth freedom traffic rights to transport passengers solely from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi.

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
Air Hong KongHong Kong, Penang
CargoluxLuxembourg
Cathay PacificJakarta–Soekarno–Hatta, Hong Kong
China Airlines CargoAbu Dhabi, Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Luxembourg, Singapore, Taipei–Taoyuan
FedEx ExpressGuangzhou, Hanoi, Jakarta–Soekarno–Hatta
Korean Air CargoJakarta–Soekarno–Hatta, Seoul–Incheon
MASkargoKuala Lumpur–International, Labuan, Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi
Raya AirwaysLabuan

Statistics

Busiest international flights Out of Tan Son Nhat International Airport by Frequency
Rank Destinations Frequency (Weekly)
1 Singapore 112
2 Bangkok (Don Mueang + Suvarnabhumi) 112
3 Kuala Lumpur 77
4 Siem Reap 42
5 Tokyo 40
6 Taipei 63
7 Hong Kong 35
7 Seoul 63
9 Guangzhou 35
10 Phnom Penh 21
10 Shanghai–Pudong 21
13 Manila 14
13 Jakarta 14
15 Vientiane 11
16 Kaohsiung 10
18 Taichung 9
18 Moscow (Domodedovo + Sheremetyevo) 9
19 Paris 8
20 Sydney 7
20 Doha 7
21 Dubai 7
21 Frankfurt 7
21 Melbourne 7
21 Johor Bahru 7
21 Busan 7
21 Osaka 7
21 Abu Dhabi 7
22 Penang 4
23 Auckland 3
24 London 2
24 Almaty 2
25 Helsinki 1
Busiest domestic flights Out of Tan Son Nhat International Airport by Frequency
Rank Destinations Frequency (Weekly)
1 Hanoi 420
2 Da Nang 238
3 Hai Phong 77
4 Phu Quoc 84
4 Vinh 63
6 Buon Ma Thuot 39
7 Con Dao 42
7 Hue 56
9 Pleiku 32
9 Nha Trang 84
11 Da Lat 49
11 Qui Nhon 42
Operational statistics of Tan Son Nhat International Airport[21]
Year
Passengers
handled
Passenger
% Change
Cargo
(tonnes)
Cargo
% Change
Aircraft
Movements
Aircraft
% Change
20057,368,420Increase 17.3192,781Increase 6.559,395Increase 10.1
20068,493,698Increase 15.3217,486Increase 12.864,182Increase 8.1
200710,240,813Increase 20.6252,528Increase 16.175,585Increase 17.8
200811,765,467Increase 14.9274,251Increase 8.686,533Increase 14.5
200912,778,554Increase 8.6273,965Decrease 0.194,694Increase 9.4
201015,107,927Increase 18.2340,504Increase 24.3109,324Increase 15.4
201116,725,974Increase 10.7333,777Decrease 2.0127,471Increase 16.6
201217,508,317Increase 4.7340,221Increase 1.9132,481Increase 3.9
201320,030,773Increase 14.4372,823Increase 9.6140,091Increase 5.7
201422,140,348Increase 10.5408,006Increase 9.4 154,378Increase 10.2
201526,549,829Increase 19.85430,627Increase 4.52 181,701Increase 18.0

The airport's future

Tan Son Nhat International Airport is located inside the crowded city of Ho Chi Minh City, making expansions difficult.

Following a recent decision by the Vietnamese Prime Minister, a new airport—Long Thanh International Airport—will replace Tan Son Nhat airport for international departure use. The master plan for the new airport was approved in April 2006. The new airport will be built in Long Thanh county, Dong Nai province, about 50 km (31 mi) northeast of Ho Chi Minh City and 70 km (43 mi) northwest of the petroleum-focused city of Vung Tau, near Highway 51A.

Long Thanh International Airport will be constructed on an area of 50 square kilometers (19 sq mi), and will have four runways (4,000 m x 60 m or 13,100 ft x 200 ft) and be capable of receiving the Airbus A380. The project will be divided in two stages. Stage One calls for the construction of two parallel runways and a terminal with a capacity of 20 million passengers per year, due to be completed in 2020. Stage Two is scheduled for completion in 2035, giving the airport with three passenger terminals and a cargo terminal designed to receive 5 million metric tons of cargo per year. The total invested capital of this project is an estimated US$8 billion.

Upon completion of Long Thanh International Airport, Tan Son Nhat Airport will serve domestic passengers only. Long Thanh International Airport is expected to be the leading airport on the Indochinese peninsula, and one of the busiest air transportation hubs in the southeast Asian region.[22]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "2015 Statistics of ACV". vietnamairport.vn. Airports Corporation of Vietnam. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  2. ↑ Busiest airports of Vietnam as on November 2015
  3. ↑ Pan Am System Timetable, April 29, 1973
  4. ↑ Christian, J. Scott, former Continental employee and manager, Bring Songs to the Sky: Recollections of Continental Airlines, 1970–1986, Quadran Press, 1998.
  5. ↑ United Airlines – Flight Timetables, Download to PC, PDA or Blackberry
  6. ↑ Official number from Tan Son Nhat Airport Authority at its official website
  7. 1 2 Two more Hanoi<>Saigon flights per day for Pacific Airlines on "Vietnamnet.net, access date 11 November 2007, (Vietnamese)
  8. 1 2 News about Tan Son Nhat International Airport on Official Website of Ministry of Transport of Vietnam, 12 November 2007, Vietnamese Archived 12 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ "Sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất tăng năng lực phục vụ". nld.com.vn. Người Lao Động. Retrieved 7 January 2015. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  10. ↑ Lê, Anh. "Tân Sơn Nhất có thêm đất làm sân đỗ máy bay". Thời báo Kinh tế Sài Gòn. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  11. ↑ Official website of Tan Son Nhat International Airport
  12. ↑ Two more Hanoi–Saigon flights per day for Pacific Airlines on "Vietnamnet.net, access date 11 November 2007, (English)
  13. ↑ http://www.chinaaviationdaily.com/news/56/56969.html
  14. 1 2 "Jetstar Pacific plans 4 international routes in W16". routesonline. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  15. ↑ http://www.lionairthai.com/en/Ho-Chi-Minh-City
  16. ↑ "Vietjet Air schedules Hong Kong launch in Dec 2016". routesonline. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  17. ↑ "Vietjet Air adds Kaohsiung service from Dec 2016". routesonline. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  18. ↑ "Vietjet Air adds Taichung service from Jan 2017". routesonline. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  19. ↑ "Vietnam Airlines delays Ho Chi Minh City – Chengdu service to Jan 2017". routesonline. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  20. ↑ "Xiamen Airlines plans Ho Chi Minh launch in Nov 2016". routesonline. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  21. ↑ "2005-2014 Statistics of Tan Son Nhat Intl Airport". www.caa.mt.gov.vn. Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  22. ↑ Củng cố luận chứng xây dựng sân bay Long Thành, Tiên Lãng – Website thông tin Hàng không & Cuộc sống

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