Lien Khuong International Airport, operated by Airports Corporation of Vietnam, has submitted a report to the Ministry of Construction detailing deterioration of its runway and taxiway system.
Between June 2025 and January 2026, the runway surface repeatedly peeled, subsided and cracked, mainly near the threshold of Runway 09. In November alone, 29 damaged spots were recorded, raising the risk of foreign object debris and potential hazards to aircraft operations.
Although emergency patching has been carried out at dozens of locations, the airport said the measures are temporary and do not resolve issues related to the ageing sub base structure.
Passenger throughput at Lien Khuong grew at an average annual rate of 24.3 per cent between 2007 and 2025. The airport handled 2.548 million passengers in 2023 and around 2 million passengers annually in 2024 and 2025, placing increasing pressure on infrastructure.
The operator has proposed closing the airport from March 4 to August 25 to conduct comprehensive rehabilitation works, describing the upgrade as urgent to ensure long term operational safety.
Located about 30 kilometres from Dalat, Lien Khuong was built by the French in 1933 and became the Central Highlands’ first international airport in June 2024. The 340-hectare facility has a 3,250 metre runway capable of serving narrow body aircraft such as the Airbus A320 and A321.
In July 2024, Airports Corporation of Vietnam submitted a proposal to invest about VND 1 trillion (approximately USD 38 million) to upgrade the existing runway to secure sustainable operations.