6 central Vietnam airports suspend operation as Typhoon Kalmaegi nears landfall

By Doan Loan November 5, 2025 | 08:38 pm PT

Aircraft park at an airport in central Vietnam. Photo by Phuong Linh

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has announced the temporary suspension of flight operations at six airports starting Thursday afternoon as Typhoon Kalmaegi rapidly approaches the central region for an anticipated evening landfall.

Flight operations will be halted at Buon Ma Thuot, Chu Lai, Lien Khuong, Pleiku, Phu Cat, and Tuy Hoa airports due to the immediate threat of the storm.

Tuy Hoa airport in Dak Lak Province will close from 3:00 p.m. Thursday to midnight.

Phu Cat airport in Gia Lai Province will suspend operations from 4:00 p.m. Thursday until 3:00 a.m. Friday, and Chu Lai airport in Quang Nam will halt flights from 8:00 p.m. Thursday to 5:00 a.m. Friday. Further inland, Lien Khuong Airport in Lam Dong will suspend operations from 7 p.m. to midnight, Pleiku airport in Gia Lai from 9:00 p.m. Thursday to 6:00 a.m. Friday, while Buon Ma Thuot airport in Dak Lak will be closed from 10:00 p.m. Thursday until 6:00 a.m. Friday.

During these closure periods, the airports are expected to face strong winds of up to 103–117 kph and heavy rains, which will significantly reduce visibility and pose safety risk. The CAAV has instructed all affected airports to implement comprehensive storm prevention and reinforcement measures.

Domestic airlines have announced a series of flight cancellations from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to the affected airports Thursday. Additionally, many other flights are undergoing schedule adjustments, requiring earlier or later departure and arrival times than originally planned. Airlines have also issued safety recommendations, urging passengers to keep their seatbelts fastened throughout the flight to minimize risks during turbulence.

The latest report from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting indicates the typhoon's accelerated track.

As of 10:00 a.m. Thursday, the storm lay centered around 270 km from Quy Nhon Ward in Gia Lai, maintaining maximum sustained winds of 183 kph and moving northwest at 25 kph.

By 7:00 p.m., the typhoon is expected to be positioned over the coastal area between Quang Ngai and Dak Lak, with wind levels ranging from 134–166 kph. It is forecast to make landfall in the Quang Ngai–Gia Lai area between the evening and late night Thursday, packing maximum winds of 118–133 kph.