The maintenance work at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City will start on April 10 as scheduled, and end before June 30.

Transport Minister Dinh La Thang agreed with the plan of the Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam during a meeting held on Thursday afternoon, despite concerns that the maintenance work would affect passengers during the peak season.

Chairman of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam Nguyen Nguyen Hung said the maintenance would have little impact on passengers.

Hung said the repair work would upgrade both the taxiway and apron at the country's largest airport.

However, Chief of the Civil Aviation Authority (ACV) of Viet Nam Lai Xuan Thanh believed flights would be affected, and said there must be coordination among airlines to minimise the effects of the maintenance work as it would require the closure of taxiway 25L.

At a press conference held yesterday, Thanh agreed that Tan Son Nhat airport was in a critical need of being upgraded as Vietnamese carriers are expected to add another 50 planes this year.

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong yesterday also said there would be adjustments on the number of flights during peak hours.

Both officials agreed that the upgrade must be done during the dry season and a complete overhaul of the airport could last for several months following this first phrase.

Currently, about 30 flights depart from or land in Tan Son Nhat airport every hour. This number could fall to 25 per hour.

The maintenance work will be done during the national holiday period from April 28 to May 3 (Hung Kings, Reunification Day and International Labor Day).

Minister Thang asked the ACV to start the maintenance work on April 10, but said it must be completed before June 30 and that resources should be used to ensure safety and to minimise the number of affected flights. 

VNS