Civil aviation authorities are close to finalizing an air traffic control plan to handle the expected surge of tourist arrivals during the Beijing Olympic Games and deal with any contingencies.

The color-coded plan - green, blue, yellow, orange and red - reflects various air traffic scenarios.

Daily air traffic in and out of Beijing during the Games is expected to surpass that of some of the busiest airports in the world including London's Heathrow and Paris' Charles De Gaulle.

Beijing Capital International Airport will be "challenged" by the highest ever number of flights, said Zhang Yuehua, who is in charge of drafting the scheme.

"An average of 1,150 flights take off and land at the airport every day now. But during the Games, the number will be between 1,700 and 2,000," said Zhang, deputy director of the operation management center of the air traffic management bureau affiliated to the General Administration of Civil Aviation (CAAC).

The air traffic peak will be three days before the Games' opening ceremony and three days after the closing ceremony, with an average of 1,900 flights per day, he forecast.

With the third runway expected to be ready next March, Zhang said the capital airport will have "no problem" handling 1,500 flights per day under the green scheme.

"When the daily movement reaches 1,700 or the capital airport encounters thunderstorms that last less than an hour, we will launch the blue scheme, under which additional air routes will be opened."

If the traffic continues to increase and hit 1,900, or a co-host city has bad weather, the yellow scheme will be activated.

"Flights that are not related to the Olympic Games will be suspended, and we will consult with the military to open direct air routes," he said.

The orange scheme is for situations when the airport encounters bad weather for several hours.

The air traffic control department will then ask flights to land in neighboring airports, including Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Hohhot and Dalian, he said.

The red is for unlikely events such as when planes are hijacked or a terrorism incident.

Besides, the bureau will allot special slots for planes carrying athletes, officials and Olympic partners every hour; and extend the operating hours of the airport.

(China Daily July 12, 2007)