Roof of Ho Chi Minh City airport's new terminal leaks during heavy rain

By Giang Anh May 7, 2025 | 10:58 pm PT

Water leaked through gaps in the glass roof at the newly opened Terminal 3 of Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, causing flooding in the passenger waiting area during a heavy downpour on Wednesday afternoon.

A video circulating on social media showed water leaking through the terminal's roof, creating puddles on the floor as staff attempted to contain the situation with buckets and mops. The incident occurred in the waiting hall near a departure gate.

A representative from the terminal construction management team confirmed the leak, attributing it to gaps in the sealant around the glass skylight, which allowed water to seep in during the downpour.

Tan Son Nhat airport staff clean up the floor of Terminal 3 following a water leak from the roof on the afternoon of May 7, 2025 in a still image extracted from a video circulating on social media.

According to the representative, who asked not to be named, HCMC had experienced prolonged heat prior to the rainstorm, causing the roof structure to expand. When the heavy rain suddenly hit, it affected the sealant’s integrity.

The representative also explained that the terminal was completed ahead of schedule and had not yet undergone thorough real-world weather testing, contributing to the issue.

"This is a minor incident and not due to poor construction quality," the source said, adding that the faulty sealant was being replaced to prevent future leaks.

Khu vực sảnh chờ ra cửa khởi hành ga T3 Tân Sơn Nhất. Ảnh: Thanh Tùng

The waiting area to the departure gate of Tan Son Nhat airport's Terminal 3. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tung

Terminal 3 began operations on April 17 and is currently the largest domestic terminal in Vietnam, capable of handling up to 20 million passengers per year. Its opening increased Tan Son Nhat's total annual passenger capacity to 50 million.

The VND11 trillion (US$432 million) project is managed by the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), a state-owned enterprise that operates all 22 commercial airports across the country.

Vietnam Airlines' domestic flights connecting HCMC with Hanoi and Van Don now operate out of the new terminal.

Heavy rainfall hit multiple districts of HCMC around 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, including Go Vap, Tan Binh, District 12, and Thu Duc City, leading to flooding and travel difficulties.