Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (New Terminal)

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (New Terminal)

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (New Terminal) is located at the junction of Renhe Town in Baiyun District to the north and Xinhua Town in Huadu District to the east. It is 28 kilometers in a straight line from Haizhu Square in downtown Guangzhou. With a total investment of over 20 billion RMB, it is China’s first super-large hub airport planned and designed according to international hub airport standards. It is also currently the largest, most functionally advanced, and most modernized international airport in China, and one of the country’s three major hub airports. The airport was awarded “One of China’s Top Ten Construction Technological Achievements in 2005.” The new Baiyun International Airport is a new iconic landmark of Guangzhou, a window showcasing the image of the new Guangzhou, and a new scenic attraction beloved by the city’s residents.

Thanks to its intelligent management system, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport has become one of the world’s smartest modern international airports. The terminal building features an intelligent computer management system that, much like a human, can “sense temperature and light.” The terminal alone has over 160 elevators of various types and is equipped with comprehensive lighting systems. All these devices are managed by computers: if the number of people in a certain area drops below a certain level, the computer system will detect this and dim the lights accordingly. The air conditioning systems in different areas of the terminal can automatically adjust temperatures at any time to ensure passenger comfort while waiting. To ensure that checked baggage always “follows” its owner, the new Baiyun Airport has introduced the world’s most advanced automated baggage sorting system, capable of sorting up to 10,000 pieces of luggage per minute. The entire process from sorting to loading onto transport vehicles takes just 4 minutes. This system also significantly reduces transfer times, as passengers only need to handle their own boarding procedures during transfers, while the baggage sorting system automatically sends their luggage to the next flight. The airport will also launch China’s first “baggage reconfirmation” system. In the event that a passenger cannot board a flight after their baggage has been loaded, the system can quickly locate the exact storage position of the baggage within 5 minutes.

Another highlight of the new Baiyun Airport is the deployment of an intelligent, network-based aviation security prevention system, laying a solid foundation for safety. According to reports, the system includes closed-circuit television surveillance subsystems, access control subsystems, and perimeter alarm subsystems. These three subsystems are interconnected via computer network technology to form a fully functional security prevention system.

The second phase of the new Baiyun Airport project is expected to commence soon and be completed by 2009, with a total investment of approximately 7.5 billion RMB. A high-speed rail line from Guangzhou East Railway Station to the new airport will also begin construction within the year.

The second phase of the new airport has a total investment of about 7.5 billion RMB and mainly consists of four parts: expansion of the southeast apron; expansion of the east and west Pier 3 corridors and connecting walkways; construction of a new 300,000-square-meter international terminal; and construction of a new neutral cargo warehouse with an annual handling capacity of 500,000 tons. The rail transit line from Guangzhou East Railway Station to the new airport is over 30 kilometers long, with a design speed of 120 km/h, making it the fastest rail line in China. The journey from Guangzhou East Railway Station to the new airport will take approximately 20 minutes.

In July 2005, global air express giant FedEx signed an agreement with the Guangdong Airport Authority, officially establishing its Asia-Pacific hub in Guangzhou. The hub will be relocated from the Philippines to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (New Terminal).

The FedEx hub at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (New Terminal) will be its largest operational center in the Asia-Pacific region, handling cargo for over 30 countries and regions across the area and serving as a bridge between the Asia-Pacific and Europe-America regions. Conservative estimates suggest that the hub will bring nearly 1 million tons of air cargo throughput to Guangzhou in its first year of operation. At that time, Guangzhou’s air cargo throughput will account for half of the national total.

The FedEx new Asia-Pacific hub project (including aprons, taxiways, sorting centers, etc.) covers an area of 2,446 mu, with a construction area of approximately 81,100 square meters. The total project investment is 2.446 billion RMB, and it is expected to recoup the full investment by the 19th year of operation. Construction of the hub is scheduled to begin in May 2006, with operations expected to start in the second half of 2008. Once the new Asia-Pacific hub is completed, FedEx plans to station an initial fleet of 20 all-cargo aircraft at the new airport—equivalent to the total number of all-cargo planes in China—with around 150 weekly cargo flights, handling 12,000 to 15,000 tons of cargo.

As an international cargo transfer hub, the FedEx Asia-Pacific hub can attract more companies to invest in Guangzhou, enhancing the city’s status as an international logistics hub.