BEIJING : The new terminal of the Beijing Capital International Airport, Terminal 3 (T3) building underwent its fifth and also the largest trial run on Saturday, less than two weeks before the first batch of passengers to arrive on February 29, China News Agency reported.
The rehearsal held here involved in 82 flights and 5,000 "passengers" to test the building's all functions in passenger throughput and transfer, luggage transportation, contraband and danger control, as well as VIP security, etc.
T3 building will have its final rehearsal on February 23 with 8,000 people getting involved and will open for test run on February 29. On March 26, the building will officially open for use.
In addition to Shandong Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Australian Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways and Israel Airlines, which will be the first to operate at terminal 3 (T3) on February 29. 21 more air businesses will start their operations here on March 26. They include Air China, Shanghai Airlines, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, Dragon Air, and UAE Airlines. The 27 companies will share 45 percent of the airport's passenger flows.
Occupying an area of close to 1 million square meters, T3 has three functional areas. T3C handles domestic and international boarding procedures, domestic departures and baggage claims for both domestic and international passengers; T3D will temporarily be devoted to charter flights for the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games; and T3E will be used for international arrivals and departures.
There will be four expressways linking the airport with the city. When completed, a rail line starting from the city's Dongzhimen will need a drive of just 16 minutes to go to T3, and that will come true before the Olympics scheduled to start on August 8, 2008.