Rush before G-hour
By August 15, the runway and taxiway system - the most important items of the Lien Khuong airport upgrade project - had been completed by more than 99%.
The remaining work is nearly 1%, mainly completing the final details, cleaning the ground, testing equipment and reviewing operating safety conditions.
In mid-August, the Lien Khuong airport construction site entered the final sprint stage. Groups of workers urgently completed the remaining tasks such as drawing paint lines, installing traffic lights, completing signs and checking technical systems.
On the taxiway, new paint streaks are still bright in color. Machinery and construction equipment are gradually removed from the exploitation area. Items are inspected and reviewed before handover.
Inside the terminal, preparations are also being deployed simultaneously. Check-in areas, waiting halls, passenger seats, luggage conveyor belts and flight information screens are being cleaned, arranged, and inspected.
According to a representative of Lien Khuong airport, the investor and contractors are focusing manpower to complete the final parts, ensuring that the airport can operate stably from the first flight when reopening.
Expecting to create new impetus for tourism
The project to repair and upgrade the runway and taxiway of Lien Khuong International Airport is invested by Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV), started on March 4, 2026, at the same time as the airport is temporarily closed. Total investment is about 1,032 billion VND.
After nearly 20 years of operation, the runway is 3,250m long, 45m wide and the rolling system has deteriorated.
The project focuses on replacing the road surface structure, repairing the safety strip and synchronizing related technical infrastructure items.
The upgrade is also aimed at preparing conditions for Lien Khuong airport to meet 4E standards, aiming to be able to operate wide-body aircraft such as Airbus A350, Boeing 787.
Before temporarily closing, Lien Khuong airport operated an average of about 36 flights per day, serving about 5,900 passengers, with 5 domestic routes and 2 international routes.
During the airport shutdown, passengers have to travel by road to nearby airports. Therefore, Lien Khuong's resumption of operation is expected by people, tourism businesses and airlines.
According to the plan, on August 19, Lien Khuong airport will officially reopen, about 2 weeks earlier than the initial expected schedule.
Lam Dong Tourism Industry expects to welcome more than 10 million visitors in the last 4 months of the year, of which more than 800,000 visitors will come by air.
The resumption of operation of Lien Khuong airport is expected to restore routes connecting Lam Dong with tourist centers, creating more motivation for tourism, trade and local services, especially during the Da Lat Flower Festival 2026.
ACV also plans to support marketing activities, apply incentives to some aviation services to encourage airlines to open more routes to Lien Khuong.
Some images reporters recorded at Lien Khuong airport a few days before preparing to resume operations on August 19.
