Shanghai to spend US$3.2 billion to expand city's airport capacity

[BEIJING] China will spend 20.1 billion yuan (S$4.4 billion) to upgrade facilities at the biggest airport in Shanghai as traffic to the nation's financial center rises.

Shanghai International Airport Co, operator of the facility at Pudong, will add passenger and baggage handling capacity, construct a new apron and set up 10 new aerobridges, the company said in an exchange filing Friday. Work starts in November.

Growing demand for air travel could add to delays at Chinese airports, already ranked among the world's worst by some measures. Chinese cities are adding capacity and upgrading existing facilities as the nation is set to become the world's largest air-travel market within two decades.

Beijing started work on a second international airport late last year, and authorities recently approved a new airport for Chengdu.

When this phase of expansion is complete, Pudong International Airport will be able to handle 80 million passengers a year, from the projected 60 million passengers this year. Shanghai International also manages Hongqiao airport in the city.

BLOOMBERG