The newly-built third runway of Beijing's Capital International Airport (BCIA), 3,800 meters in length and 60 meters in width, has passed the examination and acceptance of China's civil aviation authority, and will be put to use on October 29. It is expected to provide solid support to the country's busiest airport.

It is part of an expansion project which also includes the construction of a new terminal building covering 420,000 square meters, 100 new aprons, a cargo zone and auxiliary facilities, which would enable the airport to accommodate 60 million passengers and handle 1.8 million tons of cargo each year. "The new runway is able to accommodate the largest airliner in the world -- Airbus A380," said Zhang Zhizhong, the airport's general manager. The operation of the runway also makes the Beijing airport the first among its Asian peers to have three runways in use simultaneously, said Zhang.

The airport has successfully tested the simultaneous use of three runways on September 26.The examination group from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) said the runway construction is up to required standards.

Yang Guoqing, deputy head of CAAC urged the airport to prepare emergency and transition plans and intensify training to ensure safe operation.

Official forecasts show the peak monthly passenger arrivals at the airport will hit 5.56 million during the Olympics, which is equivalent to the normal transport volume predicted for 2015.

The airport presently has two runways and two terminals with a combined capacity of handling 35 million passengers a year. It has been expanding since March 2004 to prepare for the Olympics.

The airport's arrival and departure capacity would increase from 80 flights to 115 flights per hour when the third terminal goes into operation in February next year, said BCIA controlling office director Yang Fei.

 (Xinhua News Agency October 21, 2007)