Airport faces retrofit for Spring Festival, int'l flights

The unused east airside concourse at Zhuhai (Jinwan) Airport will undergo construction improvements to partially open by Oct 1 and be fully operational by Spring Festival 2018.

Backed by the local government, owner Zhuhai Airport Group and operator Hong Kong & Zhuhai Airport Management Co Ltd jointly advocated refurbishment of the concourse to relieve pressure on the overused west airside and provide better passenger services.

Airside concourses are where passengers walk directly onto and off the airplane through a corridor between the waiting area and cabin.

With two in place on each wing of the U-shaped terminal, only one airside concourse has been in use since the airport opened in 1995, allowing an annual handling capacity of 6 million passengers, according to the airport.

However, the recent dramatic growth in flight numbers served as a call for action. Passenger throughput for 2017 will continue to exceed terminal capacity, with an estimate of 9 million by year's end. 

Rendering of upgraded Zhuhai Airport [Photo courtesy southcn.com]

The full opening of two airside concourses will accommodate 12 million passengers per annum, according to objectives set in the original plan. They will serve both international and domestic flights.

The upgrade will also include establishment of an international terminal with support to guarantee those flights. Domestic support capabilities are also to be improved.