After being closed to serve the expansion and upgrade project from April 1, 2023, Dien Bien Airport Terminal (in Dien Bien Phu city, Dien Bien province) is nearly completed and is currently in preparation to receive the first flight on the morning of December 1, 2023.
Project to renovate and expand the operating capacity of the existing passenger terminal from 300,000 passengers/year to 500,000 passengers/year; renovate and build new auxiliary works and civil aviation areas to ensure synchronous operation of A320, A321 aircraft and equivalent.
Pictured is the old air traffic control tower of Dien Bien Airport. This flight control tower will continue to be used until the new air traffic control tower is completed.
On the afternoon of November 29, the new air traffic control tower was still under construction.
The project started on April 27, 2023 and is expected to be completed on April 30, 2024. The scale of the project includes the Air Traffic Control Tower, flight operations building, auxiliary areas and accompanying equipment systems.
Workers are installing reinforced concrete on the upper floors of the air traffic control tower on the afternoon of November 29. Nearby is the old runway of Dien Bien airport, which will no longer be used.
The old runway is 1,830m long, narrow, and can only accommodate ATR72 propeller aircraft, so some airlines such as Vietnam Airlines' VASCO can only operate the Hanoi - Dien Bien route. In addition, in 2021, Bamboo Airways will be able to operate the Ho Chi Minh City - Dien Bien route using the Embraer 190 small jet. In the photo, workers are painting markings to prevent pilots from mistakenly landing on the old runway.
And this is the new runway 2,400m long, 45m wide, meeting technical standards for modern aircraft such as A320, A321.
The entire Dien Bien Airport upgrade and expansion project has a total capital of 1,467.7 billion VND invested by Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV).
The new Dien Bien Airport has an aircraft parking lot with 4 parking positions, of which 3 positions are for A320/A321 aircraft or equivalent and 1 position is for ATR72 aircraft or equivalent.
Two days before the first flight, the runways, taxiways, aircraft parking lots, passenger terminals, auxiliary works, DVOR/DME navigation towers, beacons, signs and security fences... were basically completed.
The parking area was cleaned by water trucks two days before the first flight landed.
Dien Bien Airport Passenger Terminal is designed with 2 floors with modern and harmonious architectural lines.
In which, the first floor includes the lobby roof area and the passenger arrival/departure area.
The check-in counter, ticket counter and baggage storage area are located on the right side of the lobby, following the flow of passengers. Behind the ticket counter is the security, technical and baggage control area.
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The second floor is the waiting area, business class lounge, commercial service area and auxiliary areas serving exploitation with a size almost equal to the large lobby space on the first floor. Behind is the entire large space for guests who have completed security procedures and are waiting for their flight. The waiting room on the second floor creates ventilation and enough space for the largest number of guests during peak hours.
The self-check-in machine is located on the left side of the terminal entrance.
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In particular, at the check-in counter and security control gate, a passenger facial recognition system has been installed, a type of utility that is not used by many airport terminals across the country.
After completing the procedures at the ticket counter area, customers will go through the security control gate located in the center of the 1st floor, then take the stairs and elevator to the flight waiting room on the 2nd floor.
The waiting area for boarding the plane has charging and power outlets for passengers, and is beautifully designed.
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The baggage area, where stevedores transport suitcases and boxes from the belly of the plane.
Not only Dien Bien Airport, many airports in provinces such as Rach Gia, Ca Mau, Con Dao... with small and narrow runways are also waiting to be upgraded to accommodate larger aircraft than the current ATR-72. The first flight to land on the new runway of this airport is expected to be operated by Vietnam Airlines at around 11am on December 1, followed by other airlines.
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