Beijing Capital International Airport will receive some 100,000 Olympic family members and it has fully prepared for their arrival as the peak of arrival comes, a Beijing Olympic organizing committee official said on Sunday.
He Yan, secretary general of the Beijing Capital International Airport Venue team of the organizing committee, said though his team only began receiving accredited Olympic members on July 8, a number of accredited personnel arrived as early as June, before the service period of the organizing committee.
"Up to now, some 1000 Olympic family members, both within and out of our service period, have arrived, mainly from the media," said He.
He said the peak of arrival has just begun. On July 20-30, the arrival will gradually reach its peak, and from July 31 to August 7, it will shoot up further. The arrivals include VIPs, officials, athletes, media personnel and sponsors.
Small groups of foreign athletes have being arrived sporadically these days, but chartered planes of delegations will not come before July 27, according to He.
The arrival of such a large number of Olympic guests is a challenge to the host nation and the capital airport is fully mobilized to meet the challenge, He said.
As an innovative measure in Olympic history, He's team had provided foreign planes with specially-made DVDs showing in real-scene the full process of Olympic members' entry and departure at the airport. The DVDs, which are shown on these planes, give passengers a picture of what they will go through at the airport in advance.
Other measures include a welcome center set up at the airport where volunteers offer information and guidance to comers. Exclusive Olympic lanes are also set up at sites such as the border check, inspection and quarantine, and customs to ensure Olympic members' easy passage.
Some 2200 volunteers, all college students in Beijing, will serve at the capital airport during the Games. In peak time, there will be about 500 of them on duty daily. They will serve Olympic guests in eight languages, according to He.
(Xinhua Nes Agency July 21, 2008)