(VEN) - In a working session with the Development Strategy Institute under the Ministry of Planning and Investment at the end of December 2011, experts from the Republic of Korean (RoK) affirmed that Vietnam's airport system would have developed much more if it received more investment.
Statistics show that Vietnam Airlines received much investment from the state budget in the period 2001-2010, which was worth around US$230 billion; however, only US$190 billion of which went into its airport construction and upgrading projects.
An annual investment of approximately US$19 billion in Vietnam Airlines' airport construction and upgrading projects was relatively low against a substantial increase in the number of its customers, especially during the period 2006-2010.
In 2006, Vietnam Airlines transported 11,961,214 passengers and 263,961 tonnes of cargo; in 2007, 14,352,226 passengers and 307,682 tonnes of cargo; in 2008, 16,165,208 passengers and 341,618 tonnes of cargoes; in 2009, 17,492,276 passengers and 346,780 tonnes of cargo; and in 2010, 21,074,092 passengers and 460,008 tonnes of cargo.
With that increase in the number of passengers and the volume of cargo in the period 2006-2010, 13 of Vietnam Airlines' 22 civil airports were overloaded.
Some airports have even lacked an instrument landing system (ILS), a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway. They could not operate all day and night and were insufficient in lighting equipment. "Those shortcomings are likely to slow up airport development process in Vietnam," said Dr. Yeong Heok Lee from the Korea Aerospace University.
According to Dr. Yeong Heok Lee, in the context that state investment in airport development and upgrading projects are narrowed, Vietnam Airlines should look for new domestic and foreign investors and should adopt new cooperation modes such as the Public-Private Partnership (PPP), Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), and Build-Transfer-Operate (BTO).
The RoK has become a country with developed aviation. Its International Incheon Airport has been voted as the world's highest-quality service airport by the Airports Council International (ACI) and the RoK has applied the PPP mode of investment in construction of the airport. Private partners have also been allowed to supply aviation fuels and water at the airport.
In the period 1991-2000, the annual average number of Vietnam Airlines passengers grew 20.3 percent and the annual average volume of its air cargo increased 21 percent. The period 2001-2010 saw growth rates of 15.8 percent and 16.2 percent respectively. The growth rates in the second period doubled the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. In 2010, Vietnam Airlines passengers totaled 21 million.
With regard to passenger transport, it is expected that the number of Vietnam Airlines passengers would reach 34 -36 million by 2015, and between 52-59 million by 2019, with growth rates ranging between 11-13 percent per year.
It is expected that the volume of Vietnam Airlines cargo would increase from 460,000 tonnes in 2010 to between 850,000-930,000 tonnes by 2015, and between 1.4-1.6 million tonnes by 2019./.
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