Can Tho International Airport

Can Tho International Airport[1] (IATA: VCA, ICAO: VVCT) (Vietnamese: Sân bay Quốc tế Cần Thơ), formerly Trà Nóc Airport is an airport located in Can Tho in Mekong Delta region of Vietnam.

Can Tho International Airport

Sân bay Quốc tế Cần Thơ
Summary
OperatorSouthern Airports Authority
LocationCan Tho
Elevation AMSL9 ft / 3 m
Coordinates10°05′07″N 105°42′43″E
Map
VCA is located in Vietnam
VCA
VCA
Location of airport in Vietnam
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
06/24 9,843 3,000 Asphalt
Statistics (2018)
Passengers830,000
Can Tho International Airport
Inside the terminal of the Can Tho International Airport

The airport was inaugurated on January 1, 2011 and received US$150 million to build on 20,750 square metres (223,400 sq ft) of land. It aimed to be able to process up to 5 million passengers a year. It will serve air travel in the region, boost Mekong Delta's economy, improving defence, security and international integration.[2]

History

Trà Nóc Airport was originally constructed during the Vietnam War in 1965 by United States Air Force (USAF) civil engineering units as a military airfield, which became Binh Thuy Air Base. It was used by the USAF as well as being the Headquarters of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) 4th Air Division until 1975.

On 19 April 1969 the VAL-4 Light Attack Squadron began combat operations, flying air support for the Mobile Riverine Force in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam. The missions included normal patrol, overhead air cover, scramble alert and gunfire/artillery spotting. On 31 March 1972 the squadron conducted its last combat mission prior to its disestablishment on 10 April 1972.[3]

After 1975, the facility was initially unused, then later operated as a small regional airport for Can Tho. It was expanded and upgraded to international status, with completion due in 2008.

Upgrading of Trà Nóc airport

The expansion work of Trà Nóc airport started on 4 January 2006. The project will be implemented in two phases, covering an area of 85.04 ha.

  • Phase 1: due to be completed in 2008, work including: improvement of the paved runway (2,400 m x 45 m), apron (27,491 m2), cost estimate: 370 billion VND ($23 million). Upon completion, this airport will be capable to handle medium range aircraft such as the Airbus A320, A321, and the Boeing 767.
  • Phase 2: construction of a new terminal (19,000 m2), cargo terminal and other facilities. Cost estimate: 400–500 billion VND ($25 to 31 million). The capacity of this terminal is 2 million passengers per year.

Current status

The airport is operating at loss, serving only 20% of its designed capacity.[4]

In 2017 the 917th Mixed Air Transport Regiment (a.k.a. Đồng Tháp Squadron) of 370th Air Force Division in the Vietnam People's Air Force was moved to Cần Thơ from Tan Son Nhut Air Base.[5]

Airlines and Destinations
AirlinesDestinations
AirAsia Kuala Lumpur–International (suspended)
Bamboo Airways Con Dao,[6] Hanoi, Phu Quoc[7]
Thai AirAsia Bangkok–Don Mueang (suspended)
Thai Vietjet Air Charter: Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi
VietJet Air Da Lat, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Long,[8] Hanoi, Nha Trang (suspended), Seoul–Incheon,[9] Taipei–Taoyuan,[10] Thanh Hoa, Vinh[11]
Vietnam Airlines Buon Ma Thuot,[12] Con Dao, Da Lat,[13] Da Nang, Hai Phong,[12] Hanoi, Phu Quoc, Vinh[12]
Charter: Taipei–Taoyuan, Taichung, Kaohsiung

See also

References
  1. "Can Tho airport starts operation with Hanoi route". 2009-01-04. Archived from the original on 2009-01-17. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
  2. Vietnam opens new international airport, channelnewsasia.com, 2 January 2011
  3. Book by Kit Lavell, Flying Black Ponies, Val-4 Squadron Cruise book.
  4. VnExpress. "Vietnam warned it is planning one airport too many - VnExpress International".
  5. "Chuyển hoạt động bay quân sự ra khỏi 3 sân bay lớn". VNExpress. VNExpress. 24 September 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  6. "CHÍNH THỨC MỞ BÁN CÁC ĐƯỜNG BAY CẦN THƠ/ĐÀ NẴNG/VINH – CÔN ĐẢO". Bamboo Airways (in Vietnamese). 30 October 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  7. Bich, Quyen (12 January 2021). "Mở hai đường bay mới nối Cần Thơ với Côn Đảo, Phú Quốc" (in Vietnamese). Sai Gon Giai Phong. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  8. "VietJet Air Adds Can Tho – Van Don Service From late-April 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  9. "VietJet Air Resumes Can Tho International Flights in late-Dec 2022". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  10. "VietJet Air Resumes Can Tho International Flights in late-Dec 2022". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  11. "VietJet Air expands Can Tho network from late-April 2019".
  12. "Vietnam Airlines sắp mở 6 đường bay mới". Vietnambiz (in Vietnamese). June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  13. "Vietnam Airlines tiếp tục mở 5 đường bay nội địa mới". Vietnam Airlines (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 3 July 2020.
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