Beijing Capital International Airport

Beijing Capital International Airport - Crowning Glory of China\'s Capital

As you can probably guess from its name, Beijing Capital International Airport is the main international airport serving Beijing, the capital of Communist China (otherwise known as the People's Republic of China.) Thus, it is the first Chinese facility you will see when you disembark in Beijing. It is also the busiest airport in China, having rebounded magnificently after the SARS scare in 2003. As of 2004, it gained the prestige of being the busiest Asian airport based on aircraft movements, besting other top Asian airports such as Haneda Airport (also called Tokyo International Airport).

Carriers that use the airport

Chinese carriers such as China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and Air China make their home in Beijing Capital International Airport. US airlines have also been using Beijing Capital International Airport as one of their Asian destinations, after the Department of Transportation of the US and the Civil Aviation Administration of China agreed on certain routes for US carriers to use. Some American carriers which were granted permission to use the Chinese airport are Federal Express, and Continental Airlines. American Airlines is still waiting for permission to use the Chinese airport as a destination, but is projected to start flights to Beijing on March 25, 2009.

Carriers from other countries aside from the US have also been flying to

Beijing Capital International Airport as well. Some of these non-US and non- Chinese carriers are Aeroflot, Air Canada, Air France, All Nippon Airways, and British Airways (among others.)

Airport facilities

Beijing Capital International Airport was the first airport to be ever built after the Communists took over the Chinese government. The first airport terminal building in Beijing Capital International Airport is still in use, though mainly for charter flights and VIP arrivals and departures.

There are three main terminals now in use. Terminal 1 has around 10

boarding gates, and is employed for China Southern flights alone though efforts are being made to divert flights from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 as well. Terminal 2 concerns itself with domestic and international flights, and has some concession areas for air travelers. Terminal 3 is a new terminal which is still being built, with its design provided by British company Foster and Partners. It is expected to occupy 900,000 square meters, making it one massive facility.

Recent Developments

A very significant historical event took place on January 29, 2005. This was the date when the first direct flights between Taiwan and Mainland China were initiated from Beijing Capital International Airport after a 56- year period. Airports in Guangzhou and Shanghai in China also started flights to Taiwan then, making them included in what is called the Three Links service. These direct flights were a means to let relatives get together for Chinese New Year.

In 2008, it is expected that there will be four major routes to and from

the Beijing Capital International Airport. These would be the Litian Expressway, Northern Airport line, the Airport Expressway, and the 2nd Airport Expressway.