The Chinese aviation regulator has provided more details on how airlines will be divided between Beijing’s two airports, when the new Daxing International opens in September.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) says foreign carriers, as well as those from Hong Kong and Macau, can choose which Beijing airport they want to operate out of, including having a presence at both.
China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines, together with carriers under their groups, Beijing Capital Airlines and China United Airlines, will move to the new Daxing International, which is slated to open on 30 September.
Air China, and airlines under its group, as well as Hainan Airlines and Grand China Air will meanwhile remain at the existing Beijing Capital International airport (BCIA).
Cargo operator China Postal Airlines will be the only domestic carrier with a choice to operate out of both airports, while all remaining domestic airlines can choose to operate from either gateway.
The relocation of carriers to Daxing International will be a gradual process that will span from 2019 to 2021.
The CAAC adds that the city’s two airports will coordinate development, while competing moderately.
Both gateways will be positioned as international transit hubs, while BCIA has a greater focus on being a transit point for the Asia Pacific region, Daxing International will support the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as an integrated transport hub.
The regulator says that passenger numbers at BCIA is expected to hit 93.1 million this year, while Daxing International will handle 3.5 million passengers.
By 2025 however, the target is for Daxing to handle 72 million passengers and BCIA, 82 million passengers.
BCIA crossed the 100 million passenger mark last December, becoming the world's second busiest airport.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
