Saigon airport to reduce flights during rush hour

By Doan Loan July 4, 2016 | 04:43 am PT

Streets that link Tan Son Nhat airport to the city's central districts are usually congested Photo by Huu Cong

Tan Son Nhat Airport plans to cut peak hour flights to ease traffic congestion.

The gateway to southern Vietnam, Tan Son Nhat International Airport is operating over its capacity, serving 16 million domestic passengers in 2015, while the terminal was designed to welcome 13 million.

The number is expected to rise to 19.8 million in 2016, reported Dang Tuan Tu, director of the Tan Son Nhat Aviation Security Center (TASC), at a meeting on July 4 with the Ministry of Transport.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Nhat has approved a proposal to reduce the number of flights during peak hours to ease traffic congestion around Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Traffic between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. has been getting worse, said Tu. The airport is located in the middle of a crowded residential area with more buildings rising up along the main road to the airport. As a result, congestion has also increased.

In addition, the airport currently has 51 aircraft parking spaces; 49 for commercial use and two for emergencies, so due to the limited space many aircraft have to park on the taxiway overnight, said Tu.

From June 16 to June 22, Tan Son Nhat averaged 630 passenger flights per day, and 663 on peak days. This is forecast to increase to 750 flights this summer, even higher than the last Lunar New Year.

In February, Tan Son Nhat International Airport was in chaos due to massive Tet migration. The situation was worsened by large family greetings and a terminal packed full of people.

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