Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited (BCIA) experienced a decrease in net profit in 2003, the company announced Wednesday.

The company recorded a net revenues of 2,192 million yuan (US$264 million), representing a decrease of 3.3 percent from 2002, and a net profit of 393 million yuan (US$47.35 million), a decrease of 22.5 percent.

Commenting on 2003 annual results, General Manager of BCIA Wang Jiadong said that for the first half of 2003, SARS had an unprecedented impact on the operating performances of the company. The company then carried out a series of measures to cope with the negative effects.

In August 2003, the total air traffic volumes of the company recovered and began to increase steadily, and the revenue of non-aeronautical business even reached a new high as compared with 2002, added Wang.

Looking ahead, Wang said optimistically that the company is expecting an overall growth in 2004.

The construction of Phase III expansion project is expected to be put into operation in 2008 to meet the requirement of the increasing air traffic volumes and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

(Xinhua News Agency April 1, 2004)