Long Thành Airport Faces Legal Challenges, Potential Delays Ahead

Long Thanh Airport welcomed its first test flight in December 2025 – a long-awaited milestone for a project that has been underway for five years. As previously reported, the mega airport is expected to operate in June 2026 and handle 80% of international flights from Ho Chi Minh City.

That deadline now seems uncertain. In February, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha cautioned a potential delay as several components scheduled for handover between March and June were not yet ready.

In March 2026, Nguyen Tien Viet, the director of Long Thanh Airport’s management unit, was arrested over alleged bribery and bidding violations. While it is not officially confirmed whether the allegations are linked to Long Thanh Airport, the arrests could affect its readiness for operation.

The airport progress: Operation delayed to the end of 2026

As of March 2026, Phase 1 of Long Thanh International Airport – including two runways, taxiways, aircraft aprons, and a passenger terminal – was 72% complete, up 8% from the progress reported in December 2025. This first phase is owned by the Airport Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) company, which has poured VND 34 trillion (around $1.3 billion) into the construction so far.

The passenger terminal - the most significant and highest-value package, with an investment of VND 35 trillion (around US$1.5 billion) - was reported to be around 80% complete in February 2026, up from 69% in 2025. However, the payment progress lagged at around 40%.

This progress comes as ACV and other Phase 1 stakeholders face a series of legal challenges and major personnel changes. In addition to the supervisor of Long Thanh Airport, Nguyen Huu Toi, former chairman of Vinaconex, a contractor involved in the passenger terminal project, was also arrested over alleged bidding violations.

Following the arrest, ACV appointed Vu Pham Nguyen An, current director of Da Lat’s Lien Khuong Airport, as the new head of the Long Thanh Airport project management unit.

Construction is continuing at an accelerated pace despite recent personnel changes, with maintained commitments to both progress and quality. However, the completion timeline has been pushed back to the end of 2026, instead of the previously scheduled June 2026.

Airport link construction in “emergency mode”

In March 2026, in a directive sent to relevant stakeholders, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh called for the acceleration of transport projects connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Long Thanh Airport to ensure they are ready once the airport begins service.

For key road projects such as Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road, the Bien Hoa–Vung Tau expressway, and Provincial Road 25C, which play a critical role in connecting Long Thanh Airport with Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Construction has urged local authorities to mobilize resources, accelerate construction, and complete the projects to put them into operation by the second quarter of 2026.

At the same time, the Prime Minister has approved the extension of Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien) extending to Long Thanh International Airport, to be implemented under an emergency process. With this procedure, the project is expected to be completed in 2030, shortening the time from Long Thanh to Ho Chi Minh City by 40 minutes.

In addition, a broader urban rail network connecting the airport with Ho Chi Minh City, comprising six lines with a total length of 187 km and an estimated investment of US$17 billion, is also expected to be completed by 2030.

When ambitions match with accountability

Long Thanh International Airport is one of Vietnam’s most significant infrastructure projects, with massive investment and a timeline that has been consistently fast-tracked in recent years. Once operational, it is expected to address one of the country’s most pressing aviation infrastructure bottlenecks.

However, recent developments have shifted attention toward legal concerns. Under the latest directive, allegations of corruption and bidding violations related to the Long Thanh Airport project have been placed under the supervision of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption.

For observers, this raises questions not only about the project’s timeline but also its efficiency and quality.

In April 2025, Terminal 3 at Tan Son Nhat Airport was completed. With an investment of VND 11 trillion, the domestic terminal was fast-tracked and completed ahead of schedule.

However, just one month later, reports highlighted a series of quality issues, including water leakage, suboptimal flooring aesthetics, and inefficiencies in the pick-up area.

Against this backdrop, the case of Long Thanh Airport becomes more concerning. Despite constant pressure to be “fast”, “on schedule”, and even “under emergency procedures”, a more fundamental question emerges: how is that completion being achieved?

In that sense, the true deadline may not be June or even the end of 2026, but the moment when ambition is matched by accountability.