Long Thanh Airport Ramps Up Workforce Ahead of December Opening

The construction of Vietnam's Long Thanh International Airport is facing a critical need for an additional 1,500 to 2,000 workers as the December 1 commercial opening approaches. The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) reported on July 20 that while the site currently employs an average of 7,170 direct workers, the demand is concentrated on the passenger terminal, internal airport roads, and finishing works. ACV has instructed contractors to raise the direct workforce to nearly 9,000 and supplement with indirect staff to expedite construction, equipment installation, inspection, and paperwork. Component project 3, encompassing the airport's essential works, has reached nearly 78% of its contracted progress, with main construction packages at approximately 70% completion. The passenger terminal, the largest structure on site, has achieved 77% completion in finishing work, with crews actively plastering walls, waterproofing, painting, tiling, and installing ceilings, partitions, and interiors. The terminal is slated for completion in September, in advance of three rounds of trial operations scheduled for September, October, and November. Long Thanh is set to have its first technical flights on December 19, 2025, but scheduled passenger service is yet to commence. ACV is targeting a commercial operation start date of December 1. The 2025 rainy season has caused delays of two to four months on certain tasks. ACV has advised contractors to prioritize indoor work during heavy rainfall, maintain standby materials and labor, and implement drainage channels, water collection pits, and backup pumps across the site. Power from a 110 kV substation was energized into the airport's receiving station in June. ACV is currently collaborating with the Dong Nai Water Supply Joint Stock Company to establish water supply across the premises. Spanning approximately 5,000 hectares in Dong Nai Province, about 40 km from Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat Airport, Long Thanh is Vietnam's most ambitious and costly airport project, with an estimated cost of VND336.63 trillion ($12.8 billion). Phase one, designed to handle 25 million passengers and 1.2 million metric tons of cargo annually, aims to alleviate chronic overcrowding at Tan Son Nhat. A subsequent phase, planned for completion by 2035, will add another runway and terminal, boosting capacity to 50 million passengers. Ultimately, the fully developed Long Thanh airport is envisioned to accommodate 100 million passengers annually, serving as a regional transit hub competitive with Singapore's Changi and Seoul's Incheon. Representatives from 34 foreign airlines have surveyed the airport, and Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet conducted technical flights in December 2025. According to ACV's submitted plan, Long Thanh will accommodate all international routes exceeding 1,000 km, unscheduled international flights, and new routes that Tan Son Nhat cannot absorb. Vietnamese carriers will have the flexibility to choose either airport for domestic flights. ACV aims for over 90% of international passengers in the Ho Chi Minh City area to utilize Long Thanh by 2027.