(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-12 14:04

BEIJING - China is upgrading several standby airports near Beijing for next year's Olympics by renovating terminals, enlarging tarmacs, lengthening runways and improving services.

At Zhengding Airport, about 30 kilometers northeast of Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, workers have expanded the existing air traffic control building after a year-long construction period. It will boost the building's floor space by 15,000 square meters to 44,000 square meters.

Since May last year, workers have also been renovating and expanding the old terminal with the floor space set to double to 55,000 square meters ahead of the Games, said Xing Dongfang, vice general manager of the Hebei Airport Administration Group.

The new, improved terminal will be able to handle 2.3 million passengers annually.

Earlier this year, workers enlarged the Zhengding tarmac by 35,000 square meters and built two new taxiways, both of which have been put into operation, Xing said.

"The other projects and supportive facilities, such as renovation of the drainage system and construction of new fire-control stations, will be completed before the end of June."

The Hebei Provincial Government and the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China have earmarked 500 million yuan (US$67.6 million) for the Zhengding renovation, one of three standby airports for the Beijing Capital International Airport during the Olympic Games when the volume is expected to reach up to 1,500 flights daily.

"We have been training our staff in Olympic English, Olympic knowledge, Olympic etiquette and emergency treatment, in addition to the airport renovation," said Li Hongwei, manager of the Passenger Service Department of the Hebei Airport Administration Group.

As international travelers will likely be eager to check their luggage and ask for the latest Games information if their flight makes an alternate landing at Zhengding due to bad weather during the Olympics, Li said airport staff will be ready to provide immediate service.

"We have also been teaching our staff about different religious beliefs, traditional customs, etiquette and diet taboos in different countries. This is to help them better serve passengers."

In preparation, the airport has signed agreements with more than 20 star-grade hotels and several hospitals in Shijiazhuang if any passengers should become stranded or fall ill.

Similar renovations and training have also been carried out at two other alternate airports.

Since the beginning of last year, a 1.5 billion yuan renovation has been going on at the Wusu International Airport about 15 km south of Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province.

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