The Imex Pan-Pacific trading group has asked the transport ministry's permission to buy Phu Quoc International Airport in the southern province of Kien Giang. — Photo antt.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The Imex Pan-Pacific trading group has asked the transport ministry's permission to buy Phu Quoc International Airport in the southern province of Kien Giang.

In a letter sent to Transport Minister Dinh La Thang, President of the group Johnathan Hanh Nguyen also requested the ministry to allow the firm to exploit the airport for a certain period in case the purchase bid failed.

The Imex Pan-Pacific Group has been working with the aviation sector for more than 30 years, and has 25 years of experience in investing in and supplying tax-free goods to several airports of Viet Nam.

Last September, three companies linked to the Imex Pan-Pacific Group spent VND310 billion (US$14.7 million) to buy a combined 23.6 per cent stake in the Southern Airports Services Company Ltd.

Earlier, the T&T Group also requested the transport ministry to allow it to buy Phu Quoc airport.

The group was the first to ask for the ministry's approval of its investment in the airport, after Minister Thang asked the Airports Corporation of Viet Nam (ACV) to prepare a pilot plan to sell the full stake in Phu Quoc Airport, as part of a project to mobilise social capital to invest in aviation infrastructure.

The T&T Group expects to buy the airport either by buying the whole airport and its assets, or by receiving the operational rights and staff.

It has also pledged to continue investment in upgrading the airport, and will not transfer it to another party during the first five years.

Phu Quoc airport, located in Duong To Commune, became operational on December 15, 2012, with a total capital of VND3 trillion, or US$141 million, mainly funded by ACV.

The airport can accommodate wide-body aircraft such as Boeing 777-300s, Boeing 747-400s and Airbus A380-800s. It was designed to handle 2.65 million passengers per year by 2020, and up to seven million passengers by 2030.

It caters to domestic flights between the island district and Ha Noi, HCM City and other cities, which are operated by local carriers such as Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air and Jetstar Pacific. — VNS