Phnom Penh International Airport (IATA:PNH,ICAO:VDPP), formerlyPochentong International Airport ,^[a] is the busiestinternational airport inCambodia and serves as the country's main international gateway. It is Cambodia's second largest airport by area after the newSiem Reap–Angkor International Airport.^[2] It is located in thePou Senchey District,^[3] 10 kilometres (5.4 NM) west ofPhnom Penh, the nation's capital.

Phnom Penh International Airport អាកាសយានដ្ឋានអន្តរជាតិភ្នំពេញ
IATA:PNH ICAO:VDPP
Summary
Airport type	Public / military
Owner	Royal Government of Cambodia
Operator	Société Concessionnaire de l'Aeroport (SCA, operating as Cambodia Airports)
Serves	Phnom Penh,Cambodia
Location	Khan Pou Senchey
Opened	19 January 1959 (1959-01-19)
Hub for	Cambodia Airways Air Cambodia
Focus city for	Vietnam Airlines
Operating base for	AirAsia Cambodia Sky Angkor Airlines
Elevation AMSL	12 m / 40 ft
Coordinates	11°32′47″N104°50′38″E / 11.54639°N 104.84389°E /11.54639; 104.84389
Website	pnh.cambodia-airports.aero
Maps
PNH/VDPP Location of airport in Cambodia
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 05/23 3,000 10,000 Asphalt concrete
Statistics (2024)
Passenger movements 4,746,000 19% Aircraft movements 41,022 12%
www.vinci-airports.com[1]

This article containsKhmer text. Without properrendering support, you may seequestion marks, boxes, or other symbols instead ofKhmer script.

During theJapanese occupation of Cambodia they built as many as fifteen airports through the country, including on the site of the current airport. It is reported that these airports were built using slave labor. After independence from France in 1953,King Norodom Sihanouk ordered new airstrips or improvements to existing sites.^[4][5]

During theCambodian War, the airport was used extensively for airlifts of military and civilian supplies. Between October and December 1973, C-130s of the 374th Tactical Air Lift brought 3,000 tons of rice in via airlift.^[6][7] After the last land and water based routes fell into the hands of theKhmer Rouge in April 1975, the airport became the sole path for supplies for Phnom Penh.^[8]

After thecollapse of the Khmer Republic in 1975, Pochentong was almost completely closed to international travel, with the exception of some flights directly fromBeijing andPyongyang. These flights consisted ofcadres to train the new government, as well as some Cambodian intellectuals and diplomats who volunteered to return to the country.^[9]

In July 1995, theRoyal Government of Cambodia (RGC) signed a concession agreement with the French–Malaysian joint venture company. The company, Société Concessionaire d'Aéroport (SCA, operating as "Cambodia Airports"), is 70% owned byVinci Airports and 30% owned by Muhibbah Masteron.^[10][11] In return for a 20-year concession, SCA committed to a $100 million improvement program.^[12]

In March 2011,Air France began flights to Paris via Bangkok using Airbus A340s.^[13][14] The stopover changed to Ho Chi Minh City the following year. The route lasted until March 2013.^[15][16]

In 2014 SCA and announced the start of the $100 million project to expand the passenger terminals at Phnom Penh andSiem Reap international airports to accommodate continued strong passenger growth.^[17] The project saw the extension of the parking lots and terminals, more check-in and immigration counters, and new baggage handling systems. Additionally, the commercial areas were enlarged to allow for more retail shops, new restaurants and food and beverage outlets, and mezzanine lounges to cater to first class and business travelers.^[18] The expansions allowed the airport to double its capacity to handle 5 million passengers a year from 2.5 million passengers.^[19]

In 2015, Cambodian opposition politicianSon Chhay asked the government to rescind the concession agreement with SCA. He claimed that Cambodia "may be getting ripped off in the deal".^[20]

In 2020, it was reported that SCA would lose the concession for Phnom Penh (along with Siem Reap) after plans were announced to build two new airports in those locations.^[21] However, SCA subsequently secured an MoU with State Secretariat of Civil Aviation to operate the new Phnom Penh Airport,Techo International Airport.^[22][23]

In January 2018, the Cambodian government approved a proposal to build a new airport to serve Phnom Penh that will cost an estimated US$1.5 billion.^[24] The new international airport will replace the existing Phnom Penh International Airport, with initial plans having the facilities being constructed on partially reclaimed land adjacent to Boueng Cheung Loung, a large lake inKandal Province about 30 kilometres south of Phnom Penh.^{[25][26][27][28][29]}

Cambodia Airport Investment, a joint venture 90 percent owned by Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation (OCIC), one of the country's largest real estate developers, and 10 percent by the government's State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, plans to invest the $1.5 billion to construct the new airport. The OCIC will invest US$280 million, while unspecified "foreign banks" will provide US$1.1 billion in funding. The OCIC will own 90 per cent of the shares in the completed airport, with the rest going to the SSCA While the construction plans are still in the early stages of development, the 4F class airport will be capable of handling large long-haul aircraft and will reportedly cover an area of around 2,600 hectares, which would make it one of the largest airports in the world.^[30][19]

In 2020, thenPrime Minister Hun Sen announced that Phnom Penh airport would remain active after the new airport was activated, primarily serving as air freight, military, local flights, private flights and high-level visitors.^[31]

The airport is at an elevation of 40 feet (12 m) abovemean sea level. It has onerunway designated 05/23 with anasphalt surface measuring 3,000 by 50 metres (9,840 ft × 160 ft).^[32][33] The airport has two terminal buildings – one for international and one for domestic operations. Recently, it added a new facility for VIP service. The international terminal has four aerobridges built in 2003. Three more aerobridges were added during the passenger terminal expansion in 2016–2017. The airport's design capacity is 5 million people per year.

There are a few options to transfer to or from Phnom Penh International Airport and the city. Outside the arrival hall, passengers can take a taxi provided by the Airport Taxi Association or book a ride fromGrab, a ride-hailing app. In April 2018, trains operated by Royal Railway Cambodia began running express from Phnom Penh International Airport (parking area) to Phnom Penh railway station (City Center). Trains run every 30 minutes and the journey takes roughly 30 minutes, fare of one-way is US$2.50.^[79] There is also the city bus and an airport express bus.^[80]

• 3 December 1973: ADouglas DC-3 XW-PHV of Air Union was reported to have crashed shortly after take-off.^[81]
• 19 January 1975: A Douglas C-47A XU-HAK, Douglas DC-3 XU-KAL ofKhmer Hansa and Douglas C-47A N86AC of South East Asia Air Transport were all destroyed in a rocket attack on the airport.^[82][83][84]
• 22 February 1975: A Douglas C-47A XU-GAJ ofKhmer Hansa was damaged beyond economic repair in a rocket attack.^[85]
• 10 March 1975: A Douglas DC-3 ofSamaki Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair in a rocket attack.^[86]
• 11 March 1975: ADouglas DC-3 of Khmer Hansa was damaged beyond economic repair in a rocket attack.^[87]
• xx March 1975: AVickers Viscount XW-TDN ofRoyal Air Lao crashed at Phnom Penh International Airport. The pilot was not qualified to fly the aircraft. All four people on board were killed.^[88]Accident aircraft also reported as XW-TFK with a date of 15 March.^[89]
• 11 April 1975: A Douglas DC-3 (possibly XW-PKT) ofSorya Airlines was hit byshrapnel shortly after take-off. The aircraft was destroyed by fire and two of the three occupants were killed.^[90] The same day, Douglas C-47B XW-TFB ofAir Cambodge was damaged beyond economic repair in a rocket attack.^[91]
• 3 September 1997:Vietnam Airlines Flight 815, operated by aTupolev Tu-134 crashed on approach to Pochentong Airport, killing 65 of the 66 passengers on board. The aircraft was entirely destroyed. The aircraft was flying fromHo Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh.^[92] The Tupolev was approaching the Phnom Penh airport runway in heavy rain from 2,000 meters; at this point the control tower ordered the pilot to attempt an approach from the west due to a wind pick-up. The crew then lost communication with the tower, and three minutes later the aircraft collided at low level with trees, damaging the left wing. The aircraft then slid 200 yards into a dry rice paddy before exploding. Pilot error was later identified as the cause of the crash; the pilot continued his landing descent from an altitude of 2,000 meters to 30 meters even though the runway was not in sight, and ignored pleas from his first officer and flight engineer to turn back. When the aircraft hit the trees, the pilot finally realized the runway was not in sight and tried to abort the approach; the flight engineer pushed for full power, but the aircraft lost control and veered left; the right engine then stalled, making it impossible to gain lift.^[93]

• Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport
• Sihanouk International Airport

• De Launey, Guy (6 February 2006)."Budget flights arrive in Southeast Asia",BBC.

  Media related toPhnom Penh International Airport at Wikimedia Commons

• Phnom Penh International AirportArchived 12 December 2010 at theWayback Machine at Cambodia International Airports website
• Current weather for VDPP atNOAA/NWS
• Accident history for PNH atAviation Safety Network