VietNamNet Bridge – Phu Quoc Airport on the resort island of the same name is to be put up for sale so that the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) can raise funds for other airport projects, said the top executive of the corporation.

A Jetstar Pacific aircraft is seen at Phu Quoc Airport

In fact, the Ministry of Transport is considering transferring several airports to other investors, and Phu Quoc Airport off the coast of the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang will likely be the first to change hands.

Le Manh Hung, general director of ACV, said the ministry wants participatory development of the aviation sector, from infrastructure investments to human resource training. Following the ministry’s policy, ACV is working towards selling Phu Quoc Airport, he said.

Nguyen Nguyen Hung, board chairman of ACV, said it is not difficult to find buyers for the airport terminals and some other auxiliary components. However, problems will emerge when it comes to the runway transfer because runways at many airports are used for both civil and military purposes.

Director general of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) Lai Xuan Thanh said investments in Phu Quoc airport mostly came from ACV’s capital, and therefore it is reasonable and feasible for the corporation to sell the airport to other investors.

The airport, developed at a cost of VND3 trillion, was put into operation on December 15, 2012 and is the first international airport invested by ACV.

It meets the 4E standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization and can receive long-range, wide-body aircraft such as Boeing 777-300, Boeing 747-400, and Airbus A380-800.

Phu Quoc Airport is expected to serve 2.65 million passengers per year by 2020 and up to 7 million passengers by 2030.

In the January-August period, the airport handled 5,632 flights with more than 666,000 passengers, 97.3% of the total number of passengers of the whole 2013 and 90% of this year’s target. The number of passengers through the airport is expected to hit one million this year, soaring 45% against last year.

Three local airlines namely Vietnam Airlines, VietJetAir and Jetstar Pacific are operating domestic round-trip flights from Phu Quoc to Hanoi, Can Tho and HCMC.

So far, only Russian airline IKAR has launched an international air route to carry Russian visitors to Phu Quoc with one chartered flight per week along with some occasional chartered flights to the island.

Vietnam Airlines will open two international air routes to Phu Quoc, comprising of the Phu Quoc-Singapore route, set to be operated from November 2 with two flights per week using Airbus A321 aircraft. The other route will be launched on December 18 to connect Phu Quoc and Siem Reap in Cambodia with three flights per week using ATR 72 aircraft.

The transport ministry recently has strongly backed the transfer of major infrastructure projects in the country to have funds for infrastructure development.

Previously, the transport ministry approved the transfer of the right to collect toll fees on HCMC-Trung Luong Expressway to a local investor in five years.

The ministry is considering selling other expressway projects including HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay, Cau Gie-Ninh Binh, and Noi Bai-Lao Cai.

SGT/VNN