Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has asked the Southern Aviation Corporation (SAC) to tap the potential of Lien Khuong airport terminal effectively for the development of the central highland province of Lam Dong.

Mr Hai made the request while attending an inauguration ceremony of Lien Khuong terminal in Duc Trong district of the province on December 26.

He highlighted the efforts SAC has made in building the terminal and finishing the project on schedule. Putting the terminal into operation will help Lien Khuong airport open more direct air routes to Southeast and Northeast Asia in 2010, facilitating trade activities and socio-economic development in the region, especially for tourism in Da Lat city, said the Deputy PM.

The terminal is an important project to upgrade and develop Lien Khuong airport into an international one. Covering a total area of 12,400 square metres, the terminal, with a capacity of serving 1.5-2 million passengers a year, was built under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards with a total investment capital of more than VND300 billion from SAC.

*** The same day, Taiwan’s Transasia Airlines plane carrying more than 100 passengers landed at Da Nang airport, kick-starting a direct air route from Taipei to the Vietnamese central city. Transasia Airlines said it will conduct flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Da Nang is also expected to welcome more direct flights from Osaka (Japan), and Hong Kong (China) in December.

CPV/VOV