Leaking roof at Ho Chi Minh City’s new $423mn airport terminal raises concerns

Rainwater seeped through the glass roof into the departure waiting area, causing a brief disruption as passengers waited to check in, according to a video widely circulated on social media.

Cleaning staff were deployed with buckets and mops to manage the leak, which occurred during a peak travel period.

A project management official confirmed the leak on Thursday and said the cause was the heat-induced separation of the adhesive used to secure the roof glass.

Temperatures on the terminal’s roof reached 70 degrees Celsius amid a prolonged heatwave in Ho Chi Minh City, weakening the sealant and allowing water to enter through gaps.

The terminal, which currently serves two domestic Vietnam Airlines routes — to Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi and Van Don Airport in Quang Ninh Province — was opened on April 19 and is still undergoing final touches in several areas.

Minor disruption, larger concerns

Images of the leak — including water pooling on the floor and tin pails in the departure lounge — quickly circulated online, drawing criticism from passengers and raising doubts about the facility's construction quality.

“This is hard to believe — it rained once and water was already leaking through the ceiling,” one traveler told local media.

However, the project management board said the issue was isolated and does not reflect broader problems with the building.

Repairs began immediately and are expected to be completed within one to two days.

Early completion

The management board noted that the terminal was completed two months ahead of schedule, which may have limited the time available for full operational testing.

Some finishing work, such as wall tiling and polishing, is still ongoing.

On Thursday, Le Khac Hong, head of the terminal’s project management board, said emergency repairs were underway to reseal the affected roof section before more rain expected on the same evening.

Broader inspections and long-term sealing work will continue over the next week to prevent a recurrence, he said.

Terminal 3 is a key infrastructure project intended to ease congestion at Tan Son Nhat, Vietnam’s busiest airport.

Despite the setback, authorities said the leak was a minor incident in an otherwise sound structure.