Tibet airport expansion reaches milestone

After three years of a project to expand, a key part of Terminal 3 at the Lhasa Gonggar Airport in the Tibet autonomous region was completed on Wednesday.

The airport is the largest aviation hub in Tibet and the largest high plateau airport in the region. Expanding T3 was a key project of the region during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20). 

After the facility's full completion, it will help the airport toward its annual goal of 9 million passenger visits and 80,000 metric tons of cargo by 2025.

T3 is a two-and-a-half floor terminal of about 88,000 square meters. The second floor is for passenger departures, the middle level is the arrival channel and the lower floor has a reception area, baggage claim and sorting halls and a long-distance flight waiting hall.

The terminal has four check-in sections, 22 security channels and 21 gates for boarding and deplaning.The overall design of T3 borrows Tibetan cultural and ethnic elements. Its roof is in Tibetan golden style in the shape of a lotus.

In addition, the skylight and a large glass curtain allow passengers to enjoy the blue sky and clouds of the plateau region.