Shenzhen Bao’an International airport has been given the green light by Chinese authorities to build a third runway, as part of expansion plans.
In a notice on 16 April, China’s National Development and Reform Commission gave the go-ahead for the project, which will cost CNY9.35 billion ($1.39 billion).
The commission adds that it approved the expansion plans “to meet the rapid growth” of aviation, promote development, as well as accelerate the growth of world-class airports in the Pearl River Delta region, which Shenzhen — and nearby Hong Kong — is part of.
The third runway will be 3,600m in length, and will be built west of the airport’s existing west runway, the notice says.
By 2030, the airport will be able to handle 80 million passengers annually, and 2.6 million tonnes of freight.
Shenzhen Bao'an handled 49.3 million passengers in 2018, an 8.2% increase from the year before.
The airport also announced in September last year that it would be building a satellite terminal, dedicated to domestic operations.
According to Cirium's Schedules data, seat capacity at Shenzhen Bao’an last year was around 29.6 million, a 5.6% increase from the previous year’s figure of 27.9 million. In 2016, seat capacity at the airport was at 25.9 million, while it was 24.8 million in 2015.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
