Can Tho airport reopens; international flights next year

The Can Tho airport reopened Sunday after more than three years of upgrades, with two flights taking off for Hanoi on the opening day.

With the airport’s first phase fully operational, its 2,400-meter runway can handle large aircraft like the Boeing B-747 and Airbus A-340 while the domestic terminal can handle 400,000 passengers a year.

At the inauguration, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who arrived by a special Vietnam Airlines flight from Hanoi, the first to land at the new facility, said the airport is significant for political, economic, cultural, social, defense, security and foreign affairs reasons.

Once its second phase is finished in 2010, the airport will receive international flights from destinations such as Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Luu Minh Chung, head of Vietnam Airlines’ local office, said the Hanoi-Can Tho service would help people living in Can Tho and neighboring provinces save five hours of time as well as transport costs since they no longer have to go to Ho Chi Minh City to catch flights.

A Vietnam Airlines and budget airline Jetstar Pacific flight each took off for Hanoi Sunday.

TN, VNA

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