Hainan to build additional hubs

Hainan, China’s smallest province, will build three more civil airports in addition to its existing hubs. According to the Chief of the Planning Office of the Development Program Division of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the State Council recently approved and issued the “National Civil Airports Distribution Plan.” Based on the plan’s layout, China will have a total of 244 civil aviation airports by 2020, including 97 newly added airports constructed in 2006. The plan will establish the five big regional airports group located on the mainland of China’s North, East, Central South, Southwest, and Northwest regional areas. Hainan’s airports, including those in Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi, form the Central-South airport group. In order to satisfy the development of the Central-South provinces, 14 new airports will be built in the region. Out of the 14 airports to be constructed, three hubs will be built in Hainan. These will include the civil airports at Qionghai, Wuzhishan and Dongfang. The three additional civil airports in Hainan are scheduled to be completed by 2020. The airport development and expansion project will commence and will be carried out before 2010. The function of Hainan’s existing main airports, Haikou and Sanya, are expected to further improve once the province’s additional air transport hubs are completed and already operating.