On the afternoon of December 15th, Long Thanh Airport officially welcomed the first commercial aircraft to land, operated by Vietnam Airlines. This was the first civil aviation flight to land at Long Thanh Airport, marking an important milestone in the final assessment of operational conditions and preparations for the official flight scheduled to land on December 19th.
Flight VN5001 was welcomed with a water cannon salute.
Flight VN5001, operated by Vietnam Airlines using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with a payload equivalent to a commercial flight, took off from Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) at 3:20 PM and landed at Long Thanh Airport at 4:00 PM on December 15th.
The first civil aviation flight operated by Vietnam Airlines has successfully landed at Long Thanh Airport.
Shortly after, flight VN5002 also successfully took off from Long Thanh Airport on the same day. This event plays a crucial role in comprehensively evaluating the technical infrastructure, service procedures, and coordination capabilities between units at Vietnam's largest airport.
Deputy Minister of Construction Pham Minh Ha presents flowers to congratulate the flight crew.
During the operation process, Vietnam Airlines and Long Thanh International Airport have coordinated inspections of aspects related to the runway, apron, navigation system, passenger terminal, ground handling facilities, technical work, and operational management. This is considered the final confirmation of Long Thanh Airport's readiness before welcoming its first commercial flight operated by Vietnam Airlines on December 19th. This was regarded as the final confirmation of Long Thanh Airport’s level of readiness ahead of welcoming the first commercial flight operated by Vietnam Airlines on December 19th.
Following this flight, Vietnam Airlines affirmed that it is fully ready to provide all services required for a commercial flight at Long Thanh International Airport. The airline has prepared the necessary personnel, equipment, and technical vehicles to handle passenger, baggage, and cargo services, conduct aircraft technical inspections, provide in-flight catering, and carry out refueling operations. All activities are organized in full compliance with the procedures and safety standards set by the authorities.
Mr. Dang Anh Tuan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Vietnam Airlines, said: “The successful landing of a commercial aircraft at Long Thanh International Airport is an important milestone in the preparation for the airport’s operation, laying the foundation for Long Thanh to become a new regional aviation hub. Vietnam airlines committed to working closely with authorities and partners to ensure safe and efficient operations and to provide the best possible services for passengers at the new airport.”
Long Thanh International Airport is a national key project, envisioned to become a modern aviation gateway and one of Vietnam’s new transit hubs in the future, meeting the strong growth demand of the aviation industry and international trade.