An aircraft of Xiamen Airlines prepares to conduct a test flight at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. Beijing Daxing International Airport completed its first test flight of passenger planes as four aircraft landed safely on the runway on the morning of May 13. China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Air China and Xiamen Airlines sent their flagship models A380, A350-900, B747-8 and B787-9, respectively, for the test. [Photo/Xinhua]
BEIJING — Beijing Daxing International Airport completed its first test flight of passenger planes as four aircraft landed safely on the runway on the morning of May 13.
China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Air China and Xiamen Airlines sent their flagship models A380, A350-900, B747-8 and B787-9, respectively, for the test.
“The test shows that the new airport has now turned its focus from infrastructure construction to operation preparations,” said Wan Xiangdong, chief pilot of Civil Aviation Administration of China.
The test followed the airport’s first flight of verification planes on Jan 22 this year. The airport is scheduled to take low-visibility flight test in August and go into operation before Sept 30.
Located 46 km south of downtown Beijing, the new airport is aimed at taking pressure off the overcrowded Beijing Capital International Airport in the northeastern suburbs. It sits at the junction of Beijing’s Daxing district and Langfang, a city of neighboring Hebei province.
It is expected to handle 45 million passengers annually by 2021 and 72 million by 2025.
Crew members of Xiamen Airlines gesture at the cockpit before a test flight at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]
A flight attendant of Xiamen Airlines greets guests before a test flight at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019.[Photo/Xinhua]
Crew members of Xiamen Airlines gesture at the cockpit before a test flight at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]
Passenger planes of Air China (L) and Xiamen Airlines stop at berth at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019.[Photo/Xinhua]
A passenger plane of Air China stops at berth at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]
A passenger plane of China Eastern Airlines stops at berth at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]
A passenger plane of China Southern Airlines stops at berth at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]
A passenger plane of Xiamen Airlines prepares to land at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]
Crew members of Xiamen Airlines pose for a group photo with passengers in the test flight at the cabin at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]
