Dong Hoi Airport

Dong Hoi Airport Sân bay Đồng Hới Cảng hàng không Đồng Hới
Vietnam Airlines' Airbus A320 at Dong Hoi Airport
IATA: VDH – ICAO: VDH Location of airport in Vietnam
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		Northern Airports Corporation
Operator		Northern Airports Authority
Location		Dong Hoi
Coordinates		17°30′54″N 106°35′26″E / 17.515°N 106.59056°E / 17.515; 106.59056Coordinates: 17°30′54″N 106°35′26″E / 17.515°N 106.59056°E / 17.515; 106.59056
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
11/29	7,874	2,400	Concrete

Dong Hoi Airport (Vietnamese: Cảng hàng không Đồng Hới or Sân bay Đồng Hới) is an airport located in Loc Ninh commune, 6 km north of Dong Hoi city, capital of Quang Binh province, in North Central Coast of Vietnam, 500 km South-east of Hanoi by road. The facilities cover 173 ha, on a sandy area, by the coast of South China Sea. The runway approaches near the seashore and nearly parallel to the Highway 1A.

The airstrip was built unpaved by French colonists in 1930s to serve First Indochina War and was upgraded by North Vietnam as an airbase for Vietnam War. On 30 August 2004, the renovation (actually reconstruction) of this airport began and was scheduled to be completed in 2006 ^[1] but not until May 2008 was it inaugurated. On May 18 2008, the airport was officially put into operation with the first commercial flight from Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport.^[2][3]

As of 2008, this is one of three commercial airports in Bac Trung Bo, the others are Phu Bai International Airport (90 miles (144 km) south of Dong Hoi Airport) in Huế) and Vinh Airport (97 miles (155 km) north of Dong Hoi Airport) in Nghe An Province.

History

Inside the terminal of Dong Hoi Airport

An ATR-72 of Vietnam Airlines is approaching Dong Hoi Airport

The site of the airport was formerly an unpaved airstrip built by the French colonists and used from 1930 to 1954 to launch air raids against Viet Minh forces in the Central of Vietnam and Laotian communist forces Pathet Lao in the Central and Southern Laos during First Indochina War.^[4]

In Vietnam War, the government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam consolidated the runway surface of the airfield. This airstrip was used by North Vietnam as a transit point for air transport of personnel or cargo to the battlefields in the South Vietnam, especially those along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

However, during Vietnam War, this airstrip was not the base for North Vietnamese air attack on the United States battleships on South China Sea in an air raid known as Battle of Dong Hoi. The North Vietnamese fighters took off from Khe Gat Airfield near Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park instead. ^[5]

This airstrip was the site Ho Chi Minh landed for his North Vietnamese southernmost visit ever to Quang Binh during Vietnam War, he landed here at 8:30 am June 16, 1957 and took off back to Hanoi at 5 pm June 17, 1957. ^[6] It was also the site then North Vietnamese prime minister Pham Van Dong and Cuban president Fidel Castro landed for a visit to the then newly-occupied zone by North Vietnam of Quang Tri in 1972. ^[7][8] General Van Tien Dung landed here before entering South Vietnam for direct command of communist forces in the last period of Vietnam War renowned as Ho Chi Minh Campaign in 1975. ^[7]

After the fall of Saigon, this airfield was controlled by the Vietnam People's Army but used it for military and flood rescue activities on an irregular basis, and the airfield was actually almost abandoned. ^[4]

In 2003, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was listed in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list.^[9] The park contains systems of grottoes and caves, of which Vietnamese and British scientists have so far surveyed 20 with a total length of 70km. Besides caves and grottoes, Phong Nha has the longest underground rivers, the largest caverns and passageways, the widest and prettiest sand banks, and the most astonishing rock formations in the world. ^[10] Moreover, Phong Nha-Ke Bang is rich in biodiversity. At the final conference of the National Council for Cultural Heritage held in Vietnam in 2007, scientists attending the meeting highly praised the scientific documentation of Phong Nha-Ke Bang park. Accordingly, the park is second to no other national parks listed in UNESCO’s world heritage sites as far as biodiversity is concerned.^[11] Since Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was listed in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, the number of tourists to this park increased significantly,^[12] which required air links between this province with other major cities of Vietnam, namely Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.^[4]

The construction of Dong Hoi Airport was started on August 30, 2004 and was scheduled to be completed by the last quarter of 2007. ^[1] The estimated cost to build the airport is $15 million which was invested by the Northern Aviation Authority of Vietnam, an entity under the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam.^[4][13] The construction schedule of the airport was behind the schedule due to lack of capital from the government. It was scheduled to be completed in February 2008, but there were some pending items (10% of the total work), the deadline was extended. ^[14] According to the next revised schedule, this airport would be completed and opened in 3rd quarter of 2008. ^[15] Construction of the facilities achieved completion in May 2008. The Prime Minister of Vietnam signed a decision dated May 15 2008 to put this airport into operation on May 18 2008. The first commercial flight originated from Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport landed at this airport on May 18, 2008, the official inaugural date of the airport.^[16]

Facilities

The Air Traffic Control Tower at Dong Hoi Airport

The terminal of Dong Hoi Airport

Dong Hoi Airport covers 173 ha, has one concrete paved runway (2,400 m x 45 m), ranked 4D according to ICAO, a two-story 4282-square-meter-terminal, 15,000-square-kilometer apron for 2 Airbus A320 and Airbus A321s or equivalent, an air traffic control tower and six check-in counters and security equipment. The airport is capable of handling medium range aircraft like Airbus A320, A321 or equivalent. Expansion plan has been approved by the government of Vietnam to make this airport capable to serve jumbo jets like Boeing 767.

This airport has a designed capability of 300 passengers/peak hour or 500,000 passengers per annum.^[16][17][18]

Airlines and destinations

Current destinations

The airport serves Dong Hoi city, It will serve mainly tourists to beaches in Dong Hoi city and World Natural Heritage of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, the starting point of The Middle World Heritage Road. As of December 2009, Vietnam Airlines is providing non-stop flights linking this airport with Noi Bai International Airport (Ha Noi) and Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City). ^{[4][19] [20]}

A Fokker 70 in Vietnam Airlines' livery in Dong Hoi Airport

Airlines	Destinations
Vietnam Airlines	Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City [21]

The timetable for flights is as follows: ^[22]

No.	Routes	Flight codes[23]	ETD [24]	ETA[24]	Date[24]	Aircraft[24]
1.	Hanoi - Dong Hoi	VN1591	06:10	07:40	Daily	ATR-72
2.	Dong Hoi - Ha Noi	VN1590	08:20	10:00	Daily	ATR-72
3.	Ho Chi Minh City - Dong Hoi	VN1400	10:00	11:35	Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday	Airbus A320
4.	Dong Hoi – Ho Chi Minh City	VN1401	12:25	14:00	Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday	Airbus A320

Note:

• Time display is Vietnam Standard Time (GMT + 7).

Future destinations

Depending the actual demands, Vietnam Airlines will open flights linking this airport with Cat Bi Airport (Hai Phong), Cam Ranh Airport (Nha Trang).^[4]

See also

• List of airports in Vietnam

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Khởi công xây dựng sân bay Đồng Hới". Thanh Nien. 2004-08-30. http://web.thanhnien.com.vn/Kinhte/2005/4/4/71585.tno. 
2. ^ "Gov’t to expand Dong Hoi airport". Vietnam News. 2008-05-07. http://www.vietnamnews.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=04ECO170508. 
3. ^ "Khai trương cảng hàng không Đồng Hới". Tuoi Tre. 2008-05-19. http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/Tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=258276&ChannelID=11. Retrieved 2008-05-19. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Feasibility Study Report approved by the Minister of Transport of Vietnam in 2004
5. ^ Analysis of the Battle of Dong Hoi
6. ^ "CÁC ĐIỂM DI TÍCH BÁC HỒ VỀ THĂM QUẢNG BÌNH". Quang Binh Province Government. http://www.quangbinh.gov.vn/3cms/?cmd=130&art=1186363103038&cat=1179730730203. 
7. ^ ^{a b} "Điện cho cảng Hàng không Đồng Hới". 2008-05-19. http://www.crpc.vn/tintuc/detail.aspx?sj=SK&mt=673. 
8. ^ "Reflections by the Commander in Chief - THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE". Ministerio de Relaciones Exterires de la República de Cuba. http://www.cubaminrex.cu/FidelAbsueltoHistoria/Articulos/Reflexiones/Comandante/2008/2008-02-14_IN.html. 
9. ^ "Phong Nha National Park". UNESCO. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/951. 
10. ^ "Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, world heritage". Vietnamtourism. http://www.vietnamtourism.com/e_pages/heritage/phongnha.asp. 
11. ^ Phong Nha-Ke Bang again proposed for world natural heritage recognition, 17:09' 13/11/2007 (GMT+7) , access date: 19 February 2008
12. ^ "Tourists flock to Phong Nha-Ke Bang bringing alternative to illegal loggers". Vietnam News. 2004-09-16. Archived from the original on 2008-01-02. http://web.archive.org/web/20080102064931/http://www.vnn.vn/kinhte/2004/03/54521/. Retrieved 2008-02-24. 
13. ^ Quang Binh province website
14. ^ T, T (2007-10-21). "Sân bay Đồng Hới sẽ được đưa vào khai thác trong dịp Tết Nguyên đán 2008". Ministry of Transport (Vietnam). http://www.giaothongvantai.com.vn/Desktop.aspx/News/tin-tuc-su-kien/San_bay_Dong_Hoi_se_duoc_dua_vao_khai_thac_trong_dip_Tet_Nguyen_dan_2008/. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
15. ^ Chau, Thanh (January 16, 2008). "Cần đẩy nhanh tiến độ xây dựng sân bay Ðồng Hới". Ministry of Construction (Vietnam). http://www.baoxaydung.com.vn/Main.aspx?MNU=1115&Style=1&ChiTiet=4646. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
16. ^ ^{a b} "Quảng Bình: Mở cảng hàng không Đồng Hới (Quang Binh: Opening of Dong Hoi Airport)". Lao Động (issue no. 109). 16 May 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-05-20. http://web.archive.org/web/20080520005416/http://www.laodong.com.vn/Home/kinhte/2008/5/88754.laodong. Retrieved 2008-05-16. 
17. ^ "Dong Hoi airport put into use". CPV. 2008-05-19. http://www.cpv.org.vn/english/tourism/details.asp?topic=178&subtopic=315&ID=BT2050837768. 
18. ^ "Dong Hoi airport put into use". Vietnam News. 2008-05-19. http://www.vnanet.vn/Home/EN/tabid/119/itemid/249772/Default.aspx. 
19. ^ Official website of Vietnam Airlines
20. ^ "Quang Binh province urged to fully tap its advantages". VietnamNet. 2009-04-26. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/politics/2009/04/844214/. Retrieved 2009-05-23. 
21. ^ "Mở đường bay Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh-Đồng Hới". Tuổi Trẻ. 13 tháng 6 năm 2009. http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/Tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=321322&ChannelID=11. 
22. ^ Flight Information for Dong Hoi Airport on Quang Binh Province government's official website
23. ^ Flight timetable on Quang Binh Province government official website
24. ^ ^{a b c d} ETD stands for Estimated Time of Departurre, ETA stands for Estimated Time of Arrival

External links

• Construction begins on new Quang Binh airport Viet Nam News, September 1, 2004
• Airport & Ground Support Equipment (AGSE) in Vietnam by Le Son (11/25/2005)
• Decision dated 2003-6-12 by the Civil Aviation Agency of Vietnam on the master planning of Dong Hoi Airport (Vietnamese only)