Aviation sector aims for 36 mln passengers

The aviation sector of Vietnam is forecast to carry about 36 million passengers by 2015.

The Korea Development Institute (KDI) on Dec. 22 announced its final report under a project on development experience from the Republic of Korea .

The KDI also forecast that the volume of goods transport by air will increase from 460,000 tonnes in 2010 to 850,000-930,000 tonnes in 2015.

To meet the demands for passenger and good transport by 2015, KDI said, the Government needs to pour investment into the three major cities of Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang to link local and international air routes and to boost regional and national economic development as well as ensure national security.

However, due to budget limitations, the Government should build mechanisms for large airports like Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat to attract private and foreign investment as the Republic of Korea has done. 

Vietnam should also learn from the experience of Incheon airport in the Republic of Korea in having competitive charges for airports. 

According to the KDI, the existing infrastructure at 13 airports in Vietnam is not capable of meeting the demands of passenger and goods transport./.