It is expected that Con Dao airport will have to temporarily close for about 9 months to upgrade and expand to accommodate larger aircraft than the current airport. Currently, visitors to Con Dao are mainly by air, so when this airport is temporarily closed, visitors to the island can only go by boat or helicopter.
According to the expected plan of the Civil Aviation Administration, Con Dao airport will be temporarily closed for upgrading and expansion from April 2023, expected to complete reopening the airport in December 2023 (last 9 months).
The Ministry of Transport said that during the expected closure of Con Dao airport, it will affect the transportation and travel needs of people connecting the mainland and the island. The Ministry of Transport has planned to increase sea transport and helicopters to connect the island with the mainland.
For passenger ships by sea, there are currently 4 licensed passenger train routes connecting the mainland to Con Dao. However, in Con Dao, there is currently only 1 Ben Dam wharf to receive passenger ships. At the same time, the Ben Dam Port Management Board still restricts the number of ships entering / leaving the port, only allowing 2 trains / day under the direction of the People’s Committee of Con Dao district. In the first 6 months of this year, the number of visitors to Con Dao has exceeded the whole year of 2021. However, Con Dao is still limited to receiving passenger ships to the island.
During the closing period of Con Dao airport, the Ministry of Transport said that it will ask the People’s Committee of Ba Ria – Vung Tau province and Con Dao district to coordinate and increase the reception of passenger ships to the island to meet the needs of people and tourists.
For passenger transport by helicopter connecting the mainland and Con Dao, the Ministry of Transport said that currently connecting helicopters are being exploited by the Southern Helicopter Company. Therefore, the Ministry of Transport will coordinate with relevant sectors and units to study the option of exploiting helicopter flights during the expansion of Con Dao airport.
