The Shanghai airport authority yesterday unveiled a blueprint for the future that will double passenger and air cargo volume at Pudong International Airport in 2015, solidifying the facility's statue as a major regional transport hub.

The long-range plan envisions the construction of four new terminals and three new runways, added air freight capacity and major improvements in passenger and vehicle flows.

"The new plan is aimed at reinforcing the Pudong airport's capacity as an Asia-Pacific hub," said Wu Nianzu, chairman and president of the Shanghai Airport Authority. "It's also designed to make it easier for international passengers to transfer from one flight to another."

The Pudong airport, which opened in 1999, now is served by one terminal and two runways.

Construction of the airport's 19.7 billion yuan (US$2.5 billion) second phase will begin soon, possible this month, airport officials said.

A second major terminal comprising 480,000 square meters is scheduled to be finished in 2007 to the east of the existing 278,000-square-meter structure.

The terminals, which will run parallel to each other, will form two long rectangles.

The original plans called for the construction of four such structures. Two of those have been scrapped. Instead, a boxlike terminal will link the two long buildings, and two crossed-shaped terminals will be located to their south, allowing better access to planes.

All the terminals will be linked by moving walkways to ensure convenient passenger flow, especially for transfer travelers.

"We also plan to adjust flights between Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong, moving major transfer flights to Pudong and making the process easier," Wu said.

He estimated that 30 to 40 percent of the eventual passengers at the Pudong airport will be transferring to another flight in the future. The figure is now 5 percent.

Two new runways will be built by 2015, and a fifth is envisioned at an undetermined point in the future.

In addition, a new transport system will separate passenger and vehicular flow.

Taxis, cars and shuttle buses will be confined to the ground floor, and travelers and their luggage will move along a 6-meter-high upper level. The two floors will be linked by escalators.

The expansion will enable the airport to handle 60 million passengers and 4.2 million tons of cargo in 2015.

The passenger volume at the airport is expected to reach 25 million this year, up from the 21 million last year. Freight levels are forecast to rise to 2.2 million tons this year, compared with 1.8 million tons last year.

(Shanghai Daily December 19, 2005)