Guangzhou’s new airport terminal, which is designed to handle 100 million passengers annually from the Greater Bay Area by 2025, began operations recently.
The RMB17 billion terminal at Baiyun International Airport is expected to be capable of handling 45 million passengers a year in its 880,000 square meter facility by 2020.
The new terminal handled a reduced schedule of about 30 domestic and international flights on its first day of operation.
According to a South China Morning Post report, Terminal 2 has 397 check-in counters and more than 5,000 car parking spaces. It will use facial recognition technology to screen all passengers before they board.
China Civil Airports Association noted that passenger numbers in the region are expected to reach 223 million a year by 2020, up from around 175 million in 2017. This is higher than the airport traffic of many major cities including Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo.
Last year, growth in passenger numbers in the region was among the biggest six airports in the country.
The airport aims to handle some 3.5 million tonnes of cargo and mail by
2025, seeking to become a world-class airport with over 220 international routes.
The first passenger to board the terminal’s first flight, Chris Wietse, said, “I’m always impressed with China’s new infrastructure projects. This terminal is brand new and clean. The services are good also.”
“Guangzhou Airport is more convenient and efficient for business trips in the mainland, compared to Hong Kong Airport,” the businessman added.
A subway line connecting the city center of the Guangdong capital with the new terminal at Baiyun International Airport will also begin operations.
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