Beijing Capital International Airport (北京首都国际机场 Pinyin: Běijīng Shǒudū Guójì Jīchǎng) is an airport in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Its IATA Airport Code is PEK, reflecting Beijing's former Romanization Peking. Its ICAO Airport Code is ZBAA. The airport is the main hub of Air China.

Location

Beijing Capital International Airport is located around 20 km to the northeast of Beijing. Although many consider it in Shunyi District, it, in fact, is an exclave of Chaoyang District.

History

Beijing Airport was opened on March 2, 1958, and was the first in the PRC. The airport consisted of one small terminal building, which still stands to this day, apparently for the use of VIPs and charter flights. On January 1, 1980, a newer, larger building -- green in colour -- opened, with docks for 10 - 12 airplanes. The terminal was larger than the 1950s one, but by the mid 1990s it was overwhelmed with people and was tested well over the limit. The terminal was then closed after the opening of Terminal 2 for renovation. It reopened on September 20, 2004 and it is used exclusively used for China Southern Airlines.

In late 1999, to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, the airport was expanded again. (This is the Beijing airport of today.) This new terminal opened on November 1, and was named Terminal 2. On September 20, 2004, the new Terminal 1 opened (it was formerly the only terminal until 1999) exclusively for China Southern Airlines domestic and international flights from Beijing. Other airlines' domestic and international flights still operate in Terminal 2.

Another, even more ambitious expansion, is in the works, due for completion in time for the 2008 Olympics. This includes a 3rd runway for Beijing airport, and a rail link to the city centre.

On January 29, 2005, direct flights between Mainland China and Taiwan took place after 56 years. Flying to Taiwan were planes from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. This is known as the Three Links.

On February 22, 2005, Continental Airlines have announced that it has won the battle over Delta to operate flights to China, offering a daily nonstop flight between Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey to this airport beginning June 15, 2005. With the announcement, Continental will join United Airlines as the only U.S. airlines to fly nonstop between the United States and Mainland China in history.

Connections

Connections by Road

The airport used to be remote when it was first created in the early days. Then, a solitary, narrow road served it from the area now known as Sanyuanqiao.

When China started opening up in the 1980s, the airport was full of activity and the tiny, narrow road that used to serve it was tested to the limit. As a result, in the early 1990s, a nearly 20 km stretch of toll expressway -- the Airport Expressway -- connecting downtown Beijing from the Northeastern 3rd Ring Road at Sanyuanqiao directly to the airport -- was opened.

By 2008, four expressways will link to the airport:

• Airport Expressway, from the south
• 2nd Airport Expressway , from the east (southeast)
• Northern Airport Line, from the northwest
• Litian Expressway , from the east

All of these expressways, except for the Airport Expressway are currently under construction as of early 2005.

Connections by Rail/Urban Public Transit

There are currently no light rail or underground routes serving the airport; however, the Airport Extension to the Beijing subway will begin construction in June 2005 and will be completed in time for the 2008 Olympics. Buses run from the airport to many parts of the city.

Airlines

Landing rights at the airport are much-coveted. After slots were given to Federal Express, Continental Airlines finally obtained a slot in January 2005 (starting on June 15, 2005). The airport currently has 2 terminals. A third terminal is currently under construction and it is expected to be built by 2007.

Terminal 1

Terminal 1 opened on September 20, 2004 after being renovated. It was formally the only terminal until 1999 when Terminal 2 opened. The terminal is now used exclusively for China Southern Airlines domestic and international flights out of Beijing. All other airlines operate from Terminal 2.

• China Southern Airlines

Terminal 2

Terminal 2 opened on November 1, 1999, a month following the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. This terminal now contains all other airlines' domestic and international flights. It is bigger than Terminal 1. It may eventually contain only Hong Kong, Macau, and international flights.

• Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow)
• Air Canada (Toronto [starting June 2, 2005], Vancouver)
• Air China (Bangkok, Baotou, Changchun, Changsha, Changzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Dubai, Frankfurt, Fukuoka, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Guilin, Guiyang, Haikou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hiroshima, Hong Kong, Hohhot, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, Kunming, Kuwait, Lanzhou, London Heathrow, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Nagoya, Nanchang, Nanjing, Nanning, Nantong, New York JFK, Osaka, Paris, Phuket, Pusan, Qingdao, Rome, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai Hongqiao, Shanghai Pudong, Sendai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney, Taegu, Taiyuan, Tokyo Narita, Ulan Bator, Vancouver, Weihai, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xi'an, Xining, Yangon, Yantai, Yinchuan, Yuncheng, Zhangjiajie, Zhengzhou)
• Air Europa (Madrid) starting May 2005
• Air France
• Air Koryo (Pyongyang)
• Air Macau
• Air Zimbabwe
• Alitalia (Milan, Rome)
• All Nippon Airways (Osaka, Tokyo Narita)
• Asiana Airlines (Pusan, Seoul)
• Austrian Airlines
• Belavia Airlines
• British Airways
• China Airlines (part of the Three Links)
• China Eastern Airlines
• China Great Wall Corporation
• China National Aviation Company
• China Northern Airlines
• China Northwest Airlines
• China Southwest Airlines
• China Yunnan Airlines
• Continental Airlines (Newark) starting June 15, 2005
• Dragonair (Hong Kong)
• El Al
• Ethiopian Airlines
• EVA Air (part of the Three Links)
• Finnair
• Hainan Airlines
• China Xinhua Airlines
• Iran Air
• Japan Airlines (Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Sendai)
• Jat Airways (Belgrade)
• Kazakhstan Airlines
• Kirkstan Airlines
• Korean Air (Cheju, Seoul, Taegu)
• KLM (Amsterdam)
• Lufthansa (Frankfurt, Munich)
• Malaysia Airlines
• MALÉV Hungarian Airlines
• MIAT Mongolian
• Northwest Airlines (Detroit, Tokyo Narita)
• Pakistan International Airlines
• Scandinavian Airlines System (Copenhagen)
• Shandong Airlines
• Shanghai Airlines Shanghai Hongqiao
• Shanxi Airlines
• Shaanxi Airlines
• Shenzhen Airlines
• Siberia Airlines
• Sichuan Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• Swiss International Air Lines (Geneva, Zurich)
• Thai Airways International
• Turkish Airlines
• Ukraine International
• United Airlines (Chicago, San Francisco)
• Uzbekistan Airways
• Wuhan Airlines
• Xiamen Airlines
• Zhongyuan Airlines

Terminal 3

Currently under constuction, to be completed by 2007.

Terminal Buildings

Terminal 1 is open as of September 20, 2004, which handles CZ (China Southern) flights (and originally was planned to handle domestic traffic, excluding those to Hong Kong, Macao and eventually Taiwan). It was converted from the 1980s building and has been thoroughly remodelled. Terminal 1 is rather small, with approximately ten boarding gates.

Terminal 2 used to have domestic and international flights squashed into one cramped terminal. That stress is now being taken more and more by Terminal 1. Eventually, Terminal 2 may only retain the HK, Macau, Taiwan and international flights. Terminal 2 is far bigger than Terminal 1. It can easily handle twenty aeroplanes at docks connecting directly to the terminal building.

There is a passage linking the two terminals together; this is accessible at the public level (no passports needed).

Kentucky Fried Chicken and Starbucks have recently opened outlets in the airport, slashing the airport's otherwise sky-high food prices. These are in both Terminals 1 and 2.

Terminal 3 is currently under construction, and is expected to be built by 2007. Far grander in size and scale than the existing terminals, it will feature five floors above ground and two underground. When completed, there will be even more direct docking gates and Beijing Airport will get a new runway, in addition to its current set. Upon completion, it will take less than five minutes in Terminal 3 to reach the furthest gate.

Lounges

Domestic and international lounges are available inside the passport-restricted zones.

External links

• Beijing Capital International Airport Co. Ltd
• Official website (in Simplified, but contains English version)