News

New Hongqiao Airport terminal opens for business

16 Mar 2010

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport’s new second runway and terminal building became operational today, two of a plethora of projects being rushed and completed for the 2010 World Expo Shanghai.

As earlier reported (see news), the US$2.24 billion expansion now allows the city’s first air facility, which was built in 1964, to handle the super-jumbo Airbus A380.

Despite losing international tenants to Pudong International Airport in 1999, Hongqiao Airport continued to function as a domestic airport. About 90 percent of the carriers in the old building have transferred to the just launched terminal. Originally meant to accommodate 9.6 million passengers annually, Hongqiao Airport was recorded last year to have had a passenger throughput of over 25 million. Now the enhanced infrastructure will cater to 40 million passengers annually.

Besides the terminal, the Hongqiao Transport Hub has been created, consisting of the eastern extension of the Metro Line 2 (originating from Pudong International Airport), a private jet terminal, bus stops and parking for 3,000 cars.

The airport will also be linked to different areas of Shanghai and beyond through four daytime bus services and two at night to downtown, while shuttle services are available between Hongqiao and Pudong Airports.

To start off, the two runways will handle 33 landings and take offs hourly, to increase during the World Expo to 45 landings and take offs hourly.

For more details, visit www.shanghaiairport.com

Margie T Logarta

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