The October 27 shift away from Hongqiao Airport is a push by Shanghai to better utilize Pudong.

"This is a key step the city government has moved towards to turn Pudong Airport into an Asia-Pacific aviation hub," said Wu Nianzu, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai municipal government.

Wu said the new schedule has been approved by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) and "preparations are approaching completion."

Under the plan, domestic flights bound for Shanghai from Northeast China, Sanya and Haikou of Hainan Province, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai of Guangdong Province and Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai and Weifang of Shandong Province will also land at Pudong.

It means Pudong will have 2,621 flights a week, while the number of flights at Hongqiao will be reduced to 1,859.

"But Hongqiao will still be an alternate airport for international flights in case of emergencies," Wu said.

According to Xia Xinhua, director of CAAC's East China Administration, all passengers on feeder flights will land at Hongqiao before continuing their journey.

It will also be used by overseas multinationals.

Insiders said the move aims to help maximize Pudong's potential as it has much room for expansion.

Last year, it handled less than 7 million passengers, about a third of the city's annual total.

Wu said the number of local passengers is expected to increase by more than 3 million this year.

(China Daily October 15, 2002)