Service takes off at Daxing International

Beijing Daxing International Airport saw off its first flight after a China Southern Airlines' A380 left the airport at 4:22 pm on Wednesday headed to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

The flight signaled the beginning of operations at the facility after five years of construction, according to the airport authority.

Following the premiere flight, China Eastern Airlines, Air China, Capital Airlines, China United Airlines, Xiamen Air and Hebei Airlines each had one of their flagship airplanes take off from the airport.

"With the airport put into use, China United Airlines, the first to fully move its service into the new airport, will begin operations with 78 flights and handle over 10,000 passenger trips on Thursday," said Qian Yuanyuan, manager of the airport's operations management department.

According to the airport, 66 domestic and overseas carriers including China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, British Airways, Finnair and Ethiopian Airlines plan to operate out of Daxing airport. Starting in the winter and spring seasons, the airport will serve 116 routes and 112 domestic and foreign destinations.