Airport Codes
Total 1 airports of VLLB
Luang Prabang International Airport (IATA: LPQ, ICAO:VLLB) is located in the the city of Luang Prabang, Lao people's democratic rep.. It is the primary international airport serving Luang Prabang and its surrounding metropolitan area.
Airport Overview
Luang Prabang International Airport(LPQ), identified by ICAO code VLLB, serves Luang Prabang in northern Laos as an international regional gateway. Its position near the city supports time-sensitive movements for the local tourism economy, consumer supply chain and cross-border trade, but the airport should be treated as a regional passenger-oriented gateway rather than a dedicated cargo hub. Export and import cargo is therefore normally planned around available belly capacity, local handling arrangements and onward connections through larger Southeast Asian gateways. Our service team can coordinate capacity checks, export documentation, road feeder options and destination-side delivery before cargo is accepted. The airport operates on UTC+07:00; its published coordinates in the supplied airport record are 19.8973007 latitude and 102.1610031 longitude. Cargo acceptance, handling hours, customs availability and flight-specific restrictions must be reconfirmed for every shipment.
| Airport name | Luang Prabang International Airport |
|---|---|
| Location | Luang Prabang, Laos |
| IATA / ICAO | LPQ / VLLB |
| Country / time zone | LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REP. / UTC+07:00 |
| Coordinates | 19.8973007, 102.1610031 |
Key Highlights
- Regional gateway profile: Cargo planning is generally dependent on passenger-flight belly capacity and confirmed local handling resources.
- Limited direct freighter relevance: Heavy, dense or palletised shipments may require an alternative gateway and a controlled road-feeder plan.
- Cross-border connection point: Bangkok, Vientiane and other regional gateways may be considered for routing, subject to carrier acceptance, border procedures and road conditions.
- Small-market handling sensitivity: Advance confirmation is important for oversize cargo, dangerous goods, temperature-sensitive cargo and shipments requiring special equipment.
- Operational variability: Cut-off times, customs attendance, available uplift and truck schedules must be checked against the actual booking rather than assumed from published passenger schedules.
Cargo Facilities & Services
Specific warehouse areas, cold-room capacity, bonded-storage arrangements, dangerous-goods facilities and screening equipment should be verified with the handling agent for the selected flight. Our service team will request the applicable acceptance profile before issuing final routing instructions.
Routes & Transit Times
- Regional air connection: Depending on the booking date and airline acceptance, shipments may move on a direct regional passenger service or connect through a larger Southeast Asian gateway. Direct uplift and connection availability must be confirmed per shipment.
- Alternative gateway planning: For cargo requiring frequent uplift, full freighter capacity, special handling or more predictable connections, our service team may compare routing through Vientiane, Bangkok or another suitable gateway, followed by road transport where operationally permitted.
- Transit-time drivers: The main variables are flight frequency, interline acceptance, customs working arrangements, cargo readiness, transfer time, weather, road conditions and border procedures. We therefore provide an estimated schedule only after carrier confirmation.
- Booking discipline: A planned arrival date is not a guaranteed delivery date until uplift, handling, customs release and onward transport have all been confirmed.
Hinterland & Key Cargo
- Primary service area: Luang Prabang and surrounding northern Lao commercial, hospitality and public-service demand centres, subject to road access and consignee location.
- Tourism and hospitality supply: Small consignments of hotel equipment, replacement parts, printed materials, retail goods and urgent maintenance items may be suitable for air freight.
- Consumer and commercial cargo: General merchandise, samples, spare parts, documents, electronics and other relatively light, high-value shipments may be routed through the airport when capacity is available.
- Perishables and agricultural products: Fresh or agricultural cargo requires prior confirmation of packaging, phytosanitary documentation, acceptance temperature, inspection arrangements and delivery timing.
- Project and oversized cargo: Heavy machinery, long pieces and large pallets may be unsuitable for local uplift and should be assessed through an alternative gateway with confirmed equipment and road transport.
Operations & Compliance
- Cut-off and acceptance: Local cargo cut-off times can vary by carrier, handling agent, flight type and customs status. Our service team will obtain the live cut-off before arranging collection; late delivery can result in rollover.
- Documents: Prepare an accurate commercial invoice, packing list, air waybill data, shipper and consignee details, cargo description, value, origin and any required permits or certificates. Commodity descriptions such as “parts” or “samples” should be replaced with specific descriptions.
- Dangerous goods and restricted articles: Batteries, aerosols, chemicals, magnetised materials, dry ice and equipment containing lithium batteries require classification and carrier approval under the applicable air-transport rules. Never tender such cargo as general cargo without review.
- Customs and inspection: Customs may examine cargo or request additional evidence of value, origin, permits or end use. Hold delivery vehicles until release is confirmed, and allow contingency time for document queries.
- Special cargo: Live animals, pharmaceuticals, chilled products and valuables require a written handling plan covering acceptance, security, temperature exposure and consignee readiness.
Shipping Tips
- Send our service team the commodity, dimensions, gross weight, package count, ready date, Incoterm, origin, destination and any special handling requirement before requesting a rate.
- Request a capacity check before dispatching cargo to the airport. For urgent or heavy shipments, compare local uplift with an alternative gateway and an organised road-feeder solution.
- Use rigid, stackable packaging with clear handling marks. Protect cartons from moisture and verify that the final package dimensions match the booking and air waybill data.
- For regulated or temperature-sensitive cargo, provide safety data, battery information, permits, certificates, temperature range and emergency contact details at the quotation stage.
- Keep the consignee available for customs questions and delivery coordination. Our team should receive release instructions before the truck is sent for collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Luang Prabang International Airport handle international air freight?
International cargo movements may be possible when an operating carrier, ground handler and customs process are confirmed. Acceptance is not automatic for every commodity or flight, so our service team checks the complete routing before booking.
Can I book a dedicated freighter from Luang Prabang?
A dedicated freighter should not be assumed. Availability depends on aircraft performance, operating permissions, demand and local ground capability. For large or heavy cargo, our team will assess an alternative gateway and road connection.
How early should cargo be delivered before departure?
The applicable cut-off is set by the carrier and local handler and may differ for general cargo, dangerous goods and customs-controlled shipments. Obtain the confirmed cut-off before collection rather than relying on a standard airport rule.
Are lithium batteries, dry ice or dangerous goods accepted?
They may be accepted only after commodity classification, packing, marking, documentation and carrier approval. Send the safety data and battery details to our service team before cargo is packed for tender.
What is the best option for urgent cargo when local uplift is unavailable?
Our service team can compare a connection through a larger regional gateway with road delivery to or from Luang Prabang. The appropriate option depends on border formalities, road conditions, cargo restrictions and the consignee’s required delivery date.
Data Sources & Provenance
- International airport and airline-code reference framework: iata.org
- ICAO airport-code and international aviation reference framework: icao.int
No unverified cargo-throughput, warehouse-area, runway, flight-frequency, airline, handling-hours, tariff or transit-time figures are stated. Our service team confirms time-sensitive operational data at quotation and booking stage.