Boasting 10 nonstop domestic and 48 international air routes connecting Da Nang with nationwide and worldwide destinations, operated by 6 domestic and 17 international airlines, the Da Nang International Airport holds an important strategic position for accelerating the city’s economic progress and security over recent years. With its firm stature as one of Viet Nam’s three largest airports, how to ensure absolute aviation security and safety should be given a top priority for the time being.

The Da Nang Airport is staffed with security officers

According to the Airports Corporation of Viet Nam (ACV), the airport has been named among the top 10 improved airports in the world by Skytrax, a UK-based consultancy that runs a yearly airline and airport review based on votes by international air travelers.

The airport now operates with a frequency of about 300 arrivals and departures in total per day, and the figure reaches 360 during the peak time. Last year, the airport welcomed over 16 million passengers, 151.2 thousand tonnes of cargo and nearly 100 thousand flights.

Last year alone, the airport welcomed over 15.5 million passengers and handled 40,660 tonnes of cargo. These figures exceeded the target set for by 2020 by over 2.5 million passengers and 22,600 tonnes of cargo.

In regard to aviation security, last year and in the first half of this year, the airport authorities detected and handled a sum of 138 cases of violations such as disturbing public order, using fake papers, and carrying prohibited items on planes and illegally entering the airport.

Meanwhile, a problem that also causes many worrying concerns for functional bodies is the violation of public transport safety at the airport. Mr Do Anh Dao, the Head of Mobile Security Team underlined an urgent need to deal with unlicensed taxi and coaches which have been preying on victims at the airport. This problem has yet to be resolved. 

Mr Nguyen Duc Hung, the ACV’s Deputy General Director, is appealing for more effective joint coordination amongst relevant units to detect and promptly prevent laser light from being directed into protected volumes of airspace.

Also, security fences around the airdrome must be secure enough to prevent both accidental and intentional break-ins.

More effective measures will be put in place in the airport to handle cases of violations regarding the use of fake identification documents, and the use, storage, transportation of weapons and illegal supportive tools.  

According to the leaders of the municipal Police Department, as Da Nang host many regional and international-level economic and political events in the coming time, it is essential to ensure political security and social safety at the international airport. Therefore, it is high time for the airport’s authorities to perfecting policies and regulations on aviation security and safety in order to meet the requirements set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the performance situations at this venue.

By PHUONG UYEN - Translated by A.T