International flights to Lien Khuong Airport in Vietnam’s Central Highlands resume

The first international flight landed at Lien Khuong International Airport on September 2 after the airport suspended operations for runway repairs and upgrades.

AirAsia flight AK571 from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, touched down at 10:58 am, bringing international visitors to Da Lat on Vietnam’s National Day.

At 11:40 am the same day, flight AK572 departed Da Lat for Kuala Lumpur.

Airport authorities said the resumption of international flights would help meet travel demand among residents and tourists during the peak National Day holiday period.

August 28 - September 3 has been identified as the airport’s peak travel period, with around 36 to 40 flights expected each day, serving 7,000 to 8,500 passengers.

Lien Khuong International Airport, the first international airport in Vietnam's Central Highlands, was closed on March 4 for repairs to its 3,250-meter runway and about 1.3 kilometers of taxiways.

The asphalt pavement was replaced with concrete.

The upgrades were expected to improve operational capacity and safety and allow the airport to accommodate Code E aircraft, which have wingspans ranging from 52 meters to less than 65 meters and typically include wide-body aircraft types.

The airport resumed operations on August 19.

From August 19 to 26, the airport handled hundreds of takeoffs and landings, serving nearly 39,000 passengers and transporting 76 metric tons of cargo.