The transport ministry has tasked the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam with studying the development plan for Hanoi’s second airport.

A security officer instructs passengers at the Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: Noi Bai International Airport

Accordingly, the aviation authority will submit a report to the ministry no later than May 27.

The move came following the municipal authorities' proposal to develop its second airport. Under the proposal, the capital city would build a new airport in the south as part of the national master plan for developing airports nationwide in 2021-2030 with a vision for 2050.

As the second will be a domestic airport, not an international one, city authorities last week asked the Ministry of Transport to reconsider the designation.

In a letter to the ministry, the Hanoi People's Committee noted that Ho Chi Minh City would have two international airports, including Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Long Thanh International Airport. Both can handle 150 million passengers a year.

The capital said another international airport is needed to handle a similar level of traffic and meet security and defense requirements. Hanoi also asked the Ministry of Transport to determine the location of the second airport.

There have been several proposals for the construction of the second airport, including the districts of Thuong Tin, Hoai Duc and Ung Hoa, and even in neighboring provinces such as Ha Nam and Hai Duong.

Hanoi projects to be home to about 21-23 million people in 2050, with a total area of more than 24,3000 square kilometers. The size of the capital is quite similar to that of Ho Chi Minh City at the same time.

With the construction of the second airport, Hanoi expects to be able to handle a total of 150 million passengers in 2050, boosting air traffic in the region.