HCMC – Dien Bien Airport in the mountainous province of Dien Bien will cease operations over a period of six to seven months beginning end-March for an upgrade, according to the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV).

The airport’s fencing system is expected to be completed by June, while the runway and other facilities will be ready by December.

Work on the project began on January 22 with a total investment of VND1,400 billion. The project was approved in 2021.

Dien Bien will be capable of accommodating Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft and the like when its 2,400-meter runway is put into operation.

Currently the airport can serve smaller aircraft such as ATR-72 turbo-prop airliners due to a short runway of just 1,830 meters.

The construction includes passenger terminal upgrade to handle up to one million people in the first phase.

However, obstacles remain in the project, given unfinished ground clearance and a lack of construction materials.

ACV suggested that the province coordinate with the relevant agencies to overcome the challenges and keep the project’s execution on track.