New Tan Son Nhat terminal to open in September

Nicole Mezzasalma

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The Vietnamese airport’s new terminal includes specialised retail areas and will accommodate up to 10m passengers annually

International airlines operating into and out of Ho Chi Minh City will be served by a new terminal at Tan Son Nhat airport from September 2. The four-storey, 100,000sq m (1,076,391sq ft) terminal also has specialised retail areas and will offer internet access, online ticket sales, entertainment areas, and health and beauty care.

The terminal began trial operations on August 14 with Mandarin Airlines, Tiger Airways, Shenzen Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines and Uni Air. It will eventually accommodate 8-10m international passengers each year, and its capacity is due to be increased to 15m passengers after the second phase of construction, to be completed by 2010.

Southern Airport Authority head Tran Vinh Kham said all 35 international airlines flying to and from the airport will use the new facility if the test runs smoothly, while the old terminal will serve only domestic flights. Kham added that the additional terminal will make check-in times at the airport comparable to other international airports in Southeast Asia.