15,000 workers rush to prepare Vietnam's Long Thanh Airport for first flight

By Phuoc Tuan December 12, 2025 | 04:14 pm PT

Runway No. 1, next to the passenger terminal, lights up during a nighttime test on Nov. 10, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan

Vietnam is racing toward a major milestone at Long Thanh International Airport, with more than 15,000 workers mobilized to prepare for the airport's first flight on Dec. 19.

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), the project's investor, said on Dec. 12 that it had added another 1,000 personnel to accelerate construction, pushing the total workforce at the mega-airport to over 15,000 as crews work around the clock to stay on schedule.

Contractors have been instructed to operate in three shifts, four teams, day and night, focusing on critical infrastructure such as Runway No. 1, taxiways, aircraft aprons and the installation of core systems inside the passenger terminal.

On the airfield, workers are completing drainage systems, anti-skid runway surfaces, expansion joint sealing, line marking and final cleaning, while testing airfield lighting and aviation signage. Inside the terminal, installation is being fast-tracked for baggage handling systems, security screening machines, escalators, moving walkways, elevators and boarding bridges.

ACV also confirmed a major power milestone on Dec. 12, with electricity successfully supplied from the main reception substation to the airport’s energy center and onward to five terminal substations. The company described the step as critical to ensuring a stable power supply for both initial operations and long-term growth.

The 123-meter air traffic control tower is entering its final installation phase, ahead of a technical test flight scheduled for Dec. 15 and a special flight planned for Dec. 19. All equipment inside the control cabin on the 21st floor has been fully installed, calibrated and tested.

Over the past two months, Long Thanh’s air traffic controllers have undergone intensive training in line with Civil Aviation Authority standards, practicing flight control scenarios ranging from routine operations to emergency situations. On-site inspections of taxiways and aircraft parking areas have also been completed.

Phase one of Long Thanh International Airport spans 1,810 hectares and began construction in January 2021. Designed to handle 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo annually, the airport has completed major components, with inspection and calibration flights carried out between late September and late October. Commercial operations are expected to begin in mid-2026.