Decision 648/QD-TTg 2023 the overall master plan on development of the national system of airports and aerodromes for 2021-2030

DECISION

Approving the overall master plan on development of the national system of airports and aerodromes for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050^[1]

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government; and the November 22, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the June 29, 2006 Law on Civil Aviation; and the November 21, 2014 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Civil Aviation;

Pursuant to the November 24, 2017 Planning Law;

Pursuant to the November 20, 2018 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of Thirty-Seven Laws Concerning Planning;

Pursuant to the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 61/2022/QH15 of June 16, 2022, on further improvement of effectiveness and efficiency of planning policies and laws and a number of solutions to tackle difficulties and problems, and accelerate the formulation and raise the quality of master plans in the 2021-2030 period;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 37/2019/ND-CP of May 7, 2019, detailing a number of articles of the Planning Law;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 336/QD-TTg of March 4, 2020, approving the task of formulating an overall master plan on development of the national system of airports and aerodromes for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050;

At the proposal of the Ministry of Transport and Appraisal Report No. 107/BC-HDTDQH of October 22, 2021, of the Appraisal Council for the Master Plan on the national system of airports and aerodromes for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050.

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the overall Master Plan on development of the national system of airports and aerodromes for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050, with the following principal contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS AND OBJECTIVES

1. Viewpoints

a/ The aviation sector in general and aviation infrastructure facilities in particular are of high peculiarity and subject to in-depth international integration; constitute an important part of the socio-economic infrastructure system; are regarded as one of three strategic breakthroughs in which investment should be prioritized in a comprehensive, modern and sustainable manner and in line with the world’s aviation development trends; help create a premise for socio-economic development in association with the task of assuring the national defense and security and protecting the airspace sovereignty.

b/ To develop infrastructure facilities of airports and the system of organization, management and assurance of air navigation in a comprehensive, advanced, modern and safe manner according to standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); to meet the development demand, taking into account the harmony among regions and localities; to efficiently support emergency, rescue and relief activities; to synchronously connect air transport with other modes of transport; and to develop multimodal transport and logistics service centers at airports with a large cargo transport demand, particularly hub airports.

c/ To concentrate resources on investing in important and hub airports that may exert a spillover effect and strong impacts on socio-economic development and international integration; to mobilize all resources for investment in the aviation infrastructure development; and to ensure the harmony of interests of the State, the people and enterprises.

d/ To take the initiative in getting access to, and intensifying the transfer and application of, advanced and modern sciences and technologies, especially in the construction investment management, exploitation, organization and provision of air navigation assurance services in order to mitigate environmental pollution, save energy, efficiently use resources, and ensure investment efficiency.

dd/ To improve the quality of the state management of the aviation sector in accordance with international standards.

2. Objectives

a/ By 2030

To develop the airport system toward completeness and modernity, thereby meeting the transport demand and in-depth international integration; to protect the environment and conserve resources; to ensure national defense and security; to improve the competitiveness of the economy, thus contributing to basically turning our country into a upper-middle income developing country with modern industry by 2030, with the following specific targets:

- Regarding transportation: the total number of passengers traveling through airports will be 275.9 million (accounting for 1.5-2% of the total market share of the transport sector and 3-4% of the total number of passengers traveling inter-provincially). The total air freight throughput will be about 4.1 million tons (accounting for 0.05-0.1% of the total market share of the transport sector).

- Regarding infrastructure facilities: to prioritize investing in a number of large airports serving as transport hubs in the Hanoi metropolitan area (Noi Bai International Airport) and Ho Chi Minh City area (Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh international airports); to gradually upgrade and efficiently exploit the existing airports, to continue studying and investing in new airports to increase the total design capacity of the airport system to serve some 294.5 million passengers, striving to enable 95% of the population to access airport services within the distance of 100 km; to invest in infrastructure systems and flight management equipment toward completeness and modernity up to regional standards, thereby meeting the transportation demand; to gradually invest in logistics centers, flight training centers, aircraft maintenance and repair centers and equipment system for air navigation assurance.

b/ Vision toward 2050

To form 2 air transportation hubs for international transshipment up to the regional level in the Hanoi metropolitan area and Ho Chi Minh City area; to invest and put into operation new airports, striving to enable 97% of the population to access airport services within the distance of 100 km; to expand and upgrade airports in regional economic centers, thereby facilitating the socio-economic development; to invest in infrastructure systems and equipment for air navigation assurance that are synchronous, modern and up to international standards; to form flight training centers, aircraft maintenance and repair centers and modern equipment system for air navigation assurance.

II. MASTER PLAN ON THE NATIONAL SYSTEM OF AIRPORTS AND AERODROMES FOR THE 2021-2030 PERIOD, WITH A VISION TOWARD 2050

1. Planning of the national system of airports

a/ In the 2021-2030 period

The airport system will be planned under the hub-and-spoke model with 2 main hubs in Hanoi metropolitan area and Ho Chi Minh City area with 30 airports, namely:

- 14 international airports: Van Don, Cat Bi, Noi Bai, Tho Xuan, Vinh, Phu Bai, Da Nang, Chu Lai, Cam Ranh, Lien Khuong, Long Thanh, Tan Son Nhat, Can Tho and Phu Quoc;

- 16 domestic airports: Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Sa Pa, Na San, Dong Hoi, Quang Tri, Phu Cat, Tuy Hoa, Pleiku, Buon Ma Thuot, Phan Thiet, Rach Gia, Ca Mau, Con Dao, Thanh Son and Bien Hoa (Thanh Son and Bien Hoa aerodromes are planned to be dual-use airports);

- To continue to maintain the planned location of the Hai Phong International Airport in Tien Lang district, Hai Phong city that has been approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 640/QD-TTg of April 28, 2011.

(Details are provided in Appendix I to this Decision)

b/ Vision toward 2050

To form 33 airports, including:

- 14 international airports: Van Don, Hai Phong, Noi Bai, Tho Xuan, Vinh, Phu Bai, Da Nang, Chu Lai, Cam Ranh, Lien Khuong, Long Thanh, Tan Son Nhat, Can Tho and Phu Quoc;

- 19 domestic airports: Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Sa Pa, Cao Bang, Na San, Cat Bi, Dong Hoi, Quang Tri, Phu Cat, Tuy Hoa, Pleiku, Buon Ma Thuot, Phan Thiet, Rach Gia, Ca Mau, Con Dao, Bien Hoa, Thanh Son and the second airport in the Southeast or South of Hanoi capital.

(Details are provided in Appendix II to this Decision)

c/ To study, survey and evaluate the possibility of planning a number of aerodromes currently serving national defense and security to become airports; a number of important locations for emergency, rescue and relief purposes that have potential for tourism and service development, and other locations where airports can be built and operated; to report to the Prime Minister for consideration supplementations to the Master Plan as soon as sufficient conditions are available, thoroughly evaluating demands, technical requirements, investment resources and related impacts.

(Details are provided in Appendix III to this Decision)

2. Planning of the air navigation assurance system

To invest in and modernize the infrastructure system and equipment for air navigation assurance at all airports, meeting requirements of air navigation assurance in a long-term vision and an efficient manner in association with the tasks of ensuring airspace security and sovereignty and complying with ICAO requirements and standards.

3. Air transportation logistics centers

To arrange logistics centers at airports that have a transportation demand of over 250,000 tons of cargo/year. Logistics centers must satisfy forwarding conditions and connect appropriate transport modes in order to transport cargoes from/to the airports of Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, Van Don, Cat Bi, Da Nang, Chu Lai, Long Thanh, Can Tho and some other airports that have cargo transport demands and satisfy the above criteria; to form an air transportation hub for international transshipment at Chu Lai airport.

4. Flight training centers

To build flight training centers of a scale appropriate to the demand for domestic and regional training at airports with a low take-off and landing density and favorable terrain and weather conditions for air navigation, and located over 50 km from border areas, with priority given to Chu Lai, Rach Gia and Ca Mau airports.

5. Aircraft maintenance and repair centers

To build aircraft maintenance and repair centers at airports that need such centers; to prioritize the construction of aircraft maintenance and repair centers at large airports with good infrastructure and international flight routes, including: (i) centers at Noi Bai, Da Nang, Tan Son Nhat, Chu Lai , Cam Ranh, Can Tho, and Long Thanh; (ii) a huge regional repair center at Chu Lai airport.

III. INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT ORIENTATIONS

1. Investment orientations

- The scale under the Master Plan is the expected scale that is calculated based on the forecast demand. In the course of implementation, depending on the practical transport demand and investment resources, to study and phase out investment for assurance of project efficiency.

- For investment projects planned for the after-2030 period, in case localities have demands for investment to serve their socio-economic development and can mobilize resources, they shall report to the Prime Minister for approval investment ahead of the set schedule.

2. General aviation development orientations

General aviation activities and unscheduled civil aviation activities will be carried out in a concentrated manner at special-use aerodromes and small-scale airports in order to seek and develop the aviation market and improve the operation efficiency; to limit the operation of general aviation activities at airports with a high take-off and landing density.

3. Orientations for development of special-use aerodromes

To meet their socio-economic development demand, localities shall take the initiative in planning locations of special-use aerodromes in their provincial master plans after the Ministry of National Defense approves airport locations and assume the prime responsibility for mobilizing resources for implementation; to study and organize dual-use operation at a number of military aerodromes after the special-use aerodrome model.

4. Orientations for traffic connection to airports

The airport system may gather and release passengers and cargoes via the road system, for airports with a capacity of under 30 million passengers/year; via the road and railroad systems, for airports with a capacity of 30 million passengers/year or more.

5. Orientations for conversion of domestic airports into international airports

Domestic airports may operate unscheduled international flights. In order to ensure the efficient operation of the airport system, meet the socio-economic development demand, and ensure flexibility and openness of the Master Plan, when airlines wish to open scheduled international flights and have sufficient infrastructure conditions, the Ministry of Transport shall report them to the Prime Minister for permitting conversion of domestic airports into international airports.

IV. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND LAND USE DEMAND

1. Environmental protection

- To carry out environmental impact assessment for projects in the course of implementation of the Master Plan; to integrate solutions to respond to climate change and sea level rise, and efficiently use resources in the project implementation; to supervise the implementation of environmental protection regulations for investment projects on construction of airport and aerodrome infrastructure, with priority given to the application of new eco-friendly technologies in order to mitigate adverse environmental impacts.

- To promote the development of a modern, safe and fuel-efficient aircraft fleet up to technical and quality standards and meeting environmental protection requirements.

- To reduce air transportation activities that pollute the environment; to arrange and plan airports in a fashion not affecting on the landscape, historical relics and cultural heritages.

2. Land use demand

The land area expected to be occupied under the Master Plan by 2030 is around 23,831 ha.

V. INVESTMENT CAPITAL DEMAND

The investment capital demand for development of the airport system by 2030 is around VND 420 trillion mobilized from the state budget, off-state budget sources and other legal sources.

VI. NATIONAL IMPORTANT PROJECTS AND PROJECTS PRIORITIZED FOR INVESTMENT

1. To build new important international airports or expand existing ones that serve as air transportation hubs, including Long Thanh, Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cam Ranh, and Phu Quoc.

2. To build new airports or expand existing ones in deep-lying, remote and mountainous areas and on islands; airports serving regular military activities; and other airports in the system to meet the aviation operation and socio-economic development needs.

VII. SOLUTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE MASTER PLAN

1. Policy and mechanism solutions 

a/ To review, revise and complete regulations to be compliant with regulations of international organizations to which Vietnam is a member; to diversify resources for investment in airport infrastructure facilities under the Master Plan.

b/ To study and formulate a mechanism for investment in building airport infrastructure facilities and works on land areas and property managed by the Ministry of National Defense to ensure air navigation and serve both civil and military aviation.

c/ To study and formulate a mechanism for conversion of special-use aerodromes into domestic airports when it is needed to operate scheduled flights at these aerodromes, provided that these aerodromes have sufficient infrastructure facilities for public passenger transportation.

d/ To continue revising and improving standards and regulations to serve the state management in the field of civil aviation.

2. Solutions to mobilize investment capital

a/ For new airports: to mobilize every capital source for investment in PPP projects.

b/ For airports in operation: To study and formulate a mechanism for investing, upgrading and expanding airports in the PPP/franchising form and other investment forms in accordance with law to serve the local socio-economic development; to study and formulate a financial mechanism to enable airport enterprises and air navigation assurance service providers to invest, manage and operate by themselves airport infrastructure and technical structure facilities for air navigation assurance.

c/ For national important airports, airports where military activities are also carried out and airports in border areas and islands: To prioritize the use of state resources (the state budget and state enterprises) to invest in essential works.

3. Environmental, scientific and technological solutions

a/ To intensify the transfer and application of scientific and technological advances, particularly technological achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and apply digital platforms in the process of construction, management and operation of aviation infrastructure facilities (with priority given to technical infrastructure facilities for air navigation assurance) and the provision of transportation and logistics services; to apply new technologies and materials as well as modern construction solutions to speed up the construction progress and mitigate environmental impacts.

b/ To continue effectively implementing measures to prevent and control environmental pollution, and sectoral solutions to proactively respond to climate change and sea level rise, and prevent natural disasters and epidemics; to draw up noise maps for major aerodromes; to provide and exchange information and hydrometeorological monitoring data to serve warnings and forecasts in civil aviation activities and disaster prevention and control.

c/ To complete the database on aviation infrastructure facilities; to develop and use software to support the investment planning and project maintenance.

4. Human resource development solutions

To improve the training capacity for specialized aviation training facilities, particularly airport engineering and planning training; to improve capacity of, provide training and further training for, staffs in charge of management of the Master Plan, operation and maintenance of airport infrastructure facilities; to develop human resources that have working skills on digital platforms and digital technology skills to meet the digital transformation needs.

5. International cooperation solutions

To intensify connection and cooperation with international organizations, regional countries and countries with the developed aviation industry; to make connections for technology transfer and construction management and investment; to intensify coordination in training and coaching to improve qualifications, and experience exchange among countries; to develop direct international routes between Vietnam’s airports and hub airports of foreign countries in order to promote development investment, and promote exchanges and international integration.

6. Solutions to organize and supervise the implementation of the Master Plan

a/ To organize public disclosure of the master plan on airport system in many different forms, creating high consensus among politico-socio-professional organizations, enterprises, investors and the people upon implementation.

b/ To ensure synchronous and close coordination in the implementation of the Master Plan between central and local levels, ensuring that local master plans conform to the Master Plan; to ensure close coordination among ministries and sectors in addressing inter-sectoral issues, ensuring the consistency, synchronization and efficiency of the Master Plan.

c/ To enhance the inspection and supervision of the management and implementation of the Master Plan to ensure that the Master Plan is implemented in accordance with regulations; to promote the role of the people, enterprises, politico-socio-professional organizations and the community in supervising the implementation of the Master Plan; to early detect and strictly handle violations of the planning law.

Article 2. Organization of implementation

1. The Ministry of Transport shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and provincial-level People’s Committees in, managing and organizing the implementation of the Master Plan; regularly organize preliminary review and evaluation of the implementation of the Master Plan, and promptly report it to the Prime Minister for consideration and appropriate supplementation in accordance with the planning law; summarize and review local master plans on new airports, and report them to the Prime Minister for addition of new airports into the Master Plan when sufficient conditions are available or remove from the Master Plan in accordance with the planning law airports that fail to meet requirements on efficiency and feasibility.

b/ Build, update and archive national planning databases, provide planning information into the information system and national planning databases in accordance with the planning law.

c/ Announce the Master Plan in accordance with the Planning Law; formulate plans, and propose necessary solutions to synchronously, feasibly and effectively implement the Master Plan.

d/ Organize the formulation and approval of, and approve adjustments to, technical and specialized aviation master plans for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050 under regulations, ensuring compliance with the Master Plan and the forecast demand at the time of planning.

dd/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense in, studying and adjusting airspace organization plans and flight methods for military aerodromes, and proposing supplementations to the Master Plan in order to optimize the operation of air navigation and aviation safety assurance.

e/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Planning and Investment in balancing and allocating resources in accordance with the state budget and public investment laws for implementation of the Master Plan.

2. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies and government-attached agencies shall:

Within the ambit of their functions, tasks and powers, coordinate with the Ministry of Transport and provincial-level People’s Committees in allocating resources and proposing policies and mechanisms for efficiently implementing objectives set in the Master Plan, ensuring consistency with the implementation of the 10-year (2021-2030) Socio-Economic Development Strategy, socio-economic development plans of sectors and localities.

3. People’s Committees of related provinces and cities shall:

a/ Within the ambit of their tasks and powers, organize the state management of air navigation in accordance with law in their localities; strictly manage land areas to serve the implementation of the Master Plan.

b/ Provincial-level People’s Committees of localities where new airports (including also Bien Hoa and Thanh Son airports) are planned shall consider and report to the Prime Minister for assigning them to act as competent authorities to invest in airports in the PPP form; organize investment as soon as they ensure the efficiency and safety and fully evaluate possible impacts of investment projects.

c/ People’s Committees of the provinces specified at Point c, Clause 1, Section II, Article 1 shall formulate airport planning schemes, thoroughly evaluating demands, conditions and possibility of formation of airports as well as related impacts, mobilize every sources outside the state budget to invest in the PPP projects, then send such projects to the Ministry of Transport for consideration and reporting to the Prime Minister for decision on supplementations to the Master Plan and organization of construction investment when sufficient conditions are available.

d/ Review, adjust and formulate master plans and projects in their localities, ensuring consistency and conformity with the Master Plan; update contents of provincial master plans to ensure that orientations for local transport development comply with the Master Plan.

dd/ To mobilize investment resources to develop transport infrastructure facilities connected to airports; to ensure the capacity to gather and release passengers and cargoes.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect on the date of signing.

Article 4. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall implement this Decision.-

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
TRAN HONG HA

* The appendices to this Decision are not translated.