Projects for developing civil air transport through 2020 will receive a total investment capital of about VND227.8 trillion (US$13.4 billion) under an air transport development strategy approved by the Prime Minister.

The Vietnam Civil Aviation Administration also aims in 2009 to increase passenger transport by 4.1 per cent to 16.8 million passengers, and cargo transport by 2.1 per cent to 351,000 tonnes.

For the development of infrastructure, the agency will focus on building and upgrading international airports’ facilities, such as the terminal T2 at Noi Bai airport in Ha Noi, the runway at Da Nang Airport in the central, and the new Phu Quoc Airport in the south.

In 2008, the administration made some adjustments on the development plans of international and domestic airports such as Tan Son Nhat, Phu Bai, Cam Ranh, Phan Thiet and Lai Chau.

It also successfully put Dong Hoi airport into operation and started the construction of the Phu Quoc international airport in southern Kien Giang Province.

The amount of passenger transport in 2008 increased by 12.8 per cent to 16.2 million, and cargo transport upped by 10.9 per cent to 341 tonnes compared with the figures in 2007.

VietNamNet/VNS