A corner of the Terminal 3 at Tan Son Nhat Airport
A video circulating on social media shows airport staff mopping up water and placing buckets in the departure lounge of Terminal 3 to collect the leaking rainwater. The leak occurred during a heavy afternoon storm in Ho Chi Minh City.
An official from the Terminal 3 construction project management board confirmed the incident, attributing it to a gap in the sealant used on the glass roof to allow natural light into the terminal.
The official explained that recent prolonged heat had raised the temperature of the roof structure, and when the sudden rain arrived, it compromised the integrity of the sealant.
He added that the terminal was completed ahead of schedule and put into operation without a full real-world trial, contributing to the issue.
"This was a minor incident and not a reflection of the overall quality of the project," the representative stressed, adding that a new, more durable sealant is being applied to prevent future leaks.
Terminal 3 officially began operations on April 17 and is currently the country's largest domestic terminal, with a capacity of 20 million passengers annually. It raises Tan Son Nhat Airport's total handling capacity to 50 million passengers per year.
The project, developed by Airports Corporation of Vietnam, cost nearly VND11 trillion (around USD430 million). Domestic flights operated by Vietnam Airlines from Ho Chi Minh City to destinations like Hanoi and Van Don have already transitioned to Terminal 3.
Yesterday's downpour, which began around 6 pm, was the first major rain of the season and affected many areas across the city, including Go Vap, Tan Binh, District 12, and Thu Duc City. Several neighbourhoods experienced flooding, making travel difficult for residents.