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Immediately after the official announcement that Vinh International Airport (Nghe An) would temporarily suspend all operations from July 1st until the end of 2025 for infrastructure repair and upgrades, many passengers who had purchased tickets for travel during this period became worried. Concerns about potential difficulties in the ticket exchange and refund process became a top priority for many people in Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and neighboring provinces.
In response to passenger concerns, major airlines such as Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet quickly issued statements outlining specific support policies. While sharing the same goal of minimizing inconvenience for customers, each airline's support methods differ depending on ticket conditions and specific regulations.
Before temporarily suspending operations for six months for runway, terminal, and apron renovations, Vinh Airport handled 15-20 flights daily, serving approximately 2 million passengers annually.
Specifically, on June 24th, Vietnam Airlines issued an official announcement regarding the temporary suspension of all flights to and from Vinh Airport during the renovation period. To ensure that passengers' travel needs are not disrupted, the national airline will increase the frequency of flights to nearby airports such as Tho Xuan (Thanh Hoa), Noi Bai (Hanoi), and Dong Hoi (Quang Binh).
Vinh Airport, located in Nghi Lien commune, Vinh City, previously served during the war. From 1937 to 1994, the State invested over 20 billion VND in constructing, upgrading, and repairing the runway, terminal, taxiways, and apron to increase its service capacity.
Specifically, passengers with tickets during the affected period will be offered free flight changes to other flights within the same network, or a full refund if they no longer wish to travel. Vietnam Airlines also recommends that passengers regularly check for updates on the airline's official channels and proactively adjust their travel plans. At the same time, the airline is working closely with relevant authorities to monitor construction progress and is ready to resume operations as soon as the airport is deemed operational, especially during the peak year-end period.
Vinh Airport's runway is 2,400 meters long and 45 meters wide, with an asphalt surface, and was put into operation at the end of 2003. In July 2023, the airport ceased operations for nearly 16 hours due to runway damage.
Similarly, Vietjet also affirmed that it will flexibly reschedule or retain tickets for passengers with flights related to Vinh Airport. Specifically, passengers can choose one of three options: free rescheduling to another flight on the same route but departing before July 1, 2025; changing to flights to closer airports such as Thanh Hoa, Hanoi, or Dong Hoi; or requesting a refund and retaining their booking according to the airline's policy.
In this repair project, the runway is the item with the largest investment capital - over 623 billion VND. The existing runway will be extended to 3,000 m, accommodating wide-body aircraft.
In addition, Vietjet also plans to increase the frequency of flights to nearby airports to meet the growing travel demand of people, especially during the peak summer travel season. The airline encourages passengers to proactively contact the call center, ticket offices, official agents, or service counters at the airport for the quickest assistance.
According to the detailed plan of the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV), the Vinh Airport infrastructure repair and renovation project in 2025 includes three main items with a total investment of nearly 1,000 billion VND. Of these, the renovation project of the existing T1 passenger terminal has a total investment of 68.36 billion VND, expected to increase the operating capacity from 3-3.5 million passengers/year by 2030. More importantly, the project to repair the existing 2,400m long, 45m wide runway along with two taxiways and braking and safety strips, with a total investment of over 623 billion VND, promises to bring about a more modern and safer aviation infrastructure.
The temporary closure of Vinh Airport for six months will undoubtedly cause considerable disruption for passengers, especially residents of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and surrounding provinces. During this period, passengers may consider flying from alternative airports such as Tho Xuan (Thanh Hoa), about 100 km from Vinh City, or Dong Hoi (Quang Binh), more than 200 km away.
Despite facing short-term inconveniences, the investment in upgrading Vinh Airport is expected to bring long-term benefits, enhancing operational capacity, improving service quality, and creating momentum for strong development of the aviation industry in the North Central region in the future. To proactively plan their journeys, airlines recommend passengers regularly check flight information via the airline's official website or app; contact the airline early to change or refund tickets to avoid last-minute congestion; carefully consider travel time by road to alternative airports; and book tickets early to get the best prices.
