CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- On October 24, Tianjin Airlines flight GS7966, carrying 223 passengers from London, safely arrived at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport at 15:42 local time, marking the cumulative passenger throughput of Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport for 2024 surpassing 40 million, which is 27 days earlier than last year. This year marks the earliest occasion since the Airport’s operation that the passenger throughput has exceeded 40 million.

“Accelerated” air route development

Since this year, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport has focused on strategic intercontinental routes, the “Belt and Road” Initiatives, and RCEP member country routes for international development. The Airport has newly opened or resumed 10 international passenger routes, including Seattle, Milan, Jakarta, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Penang, and has increased the frequency of passenger routes to Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong. Currently, there are 29 international (regional) passenger routes in operation at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, with nearly 160 flights per week, essentially establishing an international route network covering North America, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The Airport is also planning to increase direct flights to Paris and Macau in the near future, continuing to provide convenience for passenger travel.

“New record” in transfer construction

Starting from 00:00 on January 1, 2024, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport officially implemented new standards for “three cross” transfer services, which include cross-terminal, cross-airline, and cross-ground service agent transfers, aiming to achieve full coverage of these services. The minimum connection time (MCT) has been reduced to 60 minutes for domestic same-terminal transfers and 100 minutes for domestic cross-terminal transfers.

On June 27 last year, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport officially launched international through-flight services. Passengers transferring through Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport enjoy the service of “direct luggage transfer via one ticket” for international transfer. To date, the international through-flight service covers 5 intercontinental routes operated by Hainan Airlines and Tianjin Airlines in Chongqing, including London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, and Sydney. The Airport will continue to expand the scope of international through-flight services and strive for full coverage of international through-flight intercontinental routes.

“Multidimensional” express line development

On April 10 of this year, the “Chongqing-Haikou Express” was officially launched. To date, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport has opened 8 express routes, including Chongqing to Beijing, Chongqing to Shanghai, Chongqing to Guangzhou, and Chongqing to Shenzhen. This has promoted more than 25 daily flights on routes from Chongqing to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, essentially establishing a convenient air corridor linking Chongqing to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, Yangtze River Delta, Greater Bay Area, Jiaodong Peninsula, southeast coast, and Hainan Free Trade Port. Currently, the check-in cut-off time for premium express flights, such as Air China’s Chongqing-Beijing Express, China Southern Airlines’ Chongqing-Guangzhou Express, Shandong Airlines’ Chongqing-Shandong Express, and Hainan Airlines’ Chongqing-Haikou Express, has been shortened to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time of the flight, further enhancing the efficiency of operations.

Next steps for Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport include optimizing and improving the air route network layout, accelerating the construction of transfers and express routes, and aiding in expanding its coverage area and enhancing its capabilities as a hub. (Translated by Vichy, Fathom Language Limited)