Trial operation of Haikou International airport starts from next month
Haikou Meilan International Airport Phase 2 will go into trial operation from December 2. Some flights will be transferred during this period.
During the trial period, Hainan Airlines is expected to schedule 10 flights in and out of Meilan Airport Phase II.
In the future, as soon as formal operations are established, all 70 inbound and outbound flights will be transferred to Terminal 2.
The total investment of the project is approximately 17.8 billion yuan (2.5 billion U.S. dollars). After phase 2 is put into full operation it will be capable of an annual throughput of around 45 million passengers.
The newly-built T2 terminal of Meilan Airport Phase II covers an area of approximately 300,000 square meters and is located 1 km north of the T1 terminal. The expansion project will enable the transfer of flights from the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the A380.
The terminal has 5 check-in islands, 110 check-in counters, 40 security check channels and 36 bridges for boarding. Outbound passengers will also be able to shop in the 10,000 square meter duty-free trade areas.
Online reports mention that check-in, ticket purchase inquiries, baggage check-in, and the security check are much smoother and more convenient than the T1 terminal.
The new terminal also has a temporary ID card self-service, check-in machine. Passengers who have lost their ID cards can quickly print out temporary cards and board the plane in around 2 minutes.
Free shuttle bus for Haikou International Airport passengers
During the trial operation phase, the airport will provide a free shuttle bus to and from the two terminals to avoid passengers going to the wrong terminal and missing their flight.
After official operations begin, the airport will also use an underground direct passage from the high-speed rail Meilan Station to the T2 terminal. The whole journey is expected to be 10 minutes on foot.
At present, it takes around 35 minutes for passengers to travel to T2 from Haikou City center (Guoxing business district).
Related article: 3,400 simulated passengers test expansion project at Haikou Meilan International Airport
