In 2002, the two airports handled 24.68 million passengers with 225,167 sorties. They also handled 1.31 million tons of cargo and mail. There were remarkable increases in both passenger and cargo transport, according to local aviation sources.

Direct air flights from Shanghai to 100 domestic and overseas cities are now available and 51 domestic and overseas air companies are operating flights to Shanghai.

Investments have been made in recent years to improve the infrastructure of both airports.

New opportunities have been brought to the two airports due to Shanghai's sustained economic growth and the city's successful bidto host the World Expo in 2010, he added.

The second phase of the expansion of Pudong Airport, with a total investment of 10 billion yuan (about 1.21 billion US dollars), will begin this year, and a second runway will be added in 2004 and a second terminal in 2007.

(People's Daily January 6, 2003)