​Shanghai Pudong Airport to Build a New Terminal!

Shanghai Pudong Airport to Build a New Terminal!

For many, Shanghai Pudong Airport is synonymous with one word: big. Some even joke that the airport cured their procrastination because navigating it requires timely planning. Now, exciting news has emerged: Pudong Airport is set to build a new terminal, Terminal 3 (T3), with construction aimed to start within the year.

Shanghai Airport Authority recently announced that the foundation slab pouring for the underground transportation hub in the southern area of the airport's fourth expansion project is in its final stages. Completion is expected by early July. This milestone marks a significant step forward in the broader expansion project.

T3 Terminal: 100% Boarding Bridge Utilization

The unveiled design of T3 promises a futuristic terminal with a unique "dual-main building integrated configuration." The new terminal is set to achieve several ambitious goals: 100% boarding bridge utilization, 100% connecting flights, 100% automatic baggage sorting, and a 60-minute transfer time. These features aim to provide high-efficiency services to passengers and airlines, catering to an annual passenger throughput demand of 130 million.

Progress and Upcoming Milestones

The feasibility study report for the T3 terminal area has received formal approval from the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission. With efforts to commence construction within the year, the main engineering work of the flight area is expected to start soon. On May 7th, the main line of the S1 Welcome Avenue (terminal section) reopened, laying the groundwork for the trial operation of the airport link in September and its opening by year-end. Additionally, the southern underground transportation hub has entered the main structure construction phase. Related projects like the 220KV substation, automated people mover vehicle base, and municipal supporting projects are also progressing rapidly.

Aviation Market Recovery

Since the beginning of this year, Shanghai's aviation market has been accelerating its recovery, with some metrics exceeding 100%. From January to May, Pudong and Hongqiao airports handled 329,000 flight movements, 50.207 million passengers, and 1.662 million tons of cargo and mail. These figures represent year-on-year increases of 27.1%, 49%, and 15.4%, respectively. All have returned to 100% or more of the levels seen in the same period in 2019, with Shanghai ranking first among Chinese cities for air passenger throughput.

Expanding International Connectivity

Shanghai's international aviation hub continues to enhance its reach. This year, five new international passenger routes have been launched, connecting to Athens, Riyadh, Penang, Manama, and Phu Quoc. Additionally, five previously suspended international passenger routes have been reinstated, including those to St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Brussels, and Takamatsu. Next month, new routes to Manchester and Marseille will be added, along with increased flights to Brussels. Currently, Shanghai Airport has regular connections to 281 passenger and cargo destinations in 48 countries.

From January to May, the number of inbound and outbound flights and passenger throughput reached 91,000 and 13.371 million, respectively, recovering to 85% and 76% of the 2019 levels. Meanwhile, business jet movements totaled 2,127, recovering to 87% of the 2019 levels.

Shanghai Pudong Airport's new T3 terminal is set to be a monumental development, enhancing the airport's capacity and efficiency. This will further solidify its status as a key international aviation hub.

Source: 上观新闻

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