Chengdu Tianfu International Airport opens for business

China’s newest gateway to the world, the $11 billion Chengdu Tianfu International Airport in Sichuan Province, has opened for business.

Located in Jianyang district, approximately 50km east of downtown Chengdu, the new airport will play an important role in the development of the Sichuan Province economy and its 80 million inhabitants.

Considered as a hub for air traffic in China, Chengdu will join Beijing and Shanghai is having two international airports serving the city.

This new Greenfield airport is opening with two terminal buildings and three runways, allowing for an initial capacity of 40 million passengers per year.

Subsequent developments are anticipated in the future, including a second “mirror” area in the south for two more terminals and additional runways, which would bring the ultimate capacity up to 90 million passengers per year.

The two first terminals designed by Groupe ADP’s teams represent an area of more than 600,000sqm and provide 83 aircraft parking stands for a high quality of service.

The buildings boast four high speed railway connections and two metro lines, through a large intermodal Ground Transportation Centre.

According to Groupe ADP, the architectural concept for the airport is characterised by its unique shape, set in a circle representing the sky, around which two curve-shaped roofs revolve, like flying sunbird, a symbol of China’s rich cultural heritage.

Terminal 1 accommodates mainly international flights, while Terminal 2 is fully domestic.

The two buildings are distinct, with processors and piers gently angled, but sharing same architecture while each terminal s optimised for its specific function, operational flexibility is enhanced by a connecting airside corridor and the positioning of swinging gates in Terminal 1.

State-of-the art equipment and technologies are said to be embedded into the buildings, such as a decentralised baggage handling system, more efficient than regular conveyors.

Sustainable development and energy saving considerations were also at the heart of this new airport complex. Design and planning have been also driven by the permanent care of keeping a human scale.

Indeed, “compactness” was favoured to minimise the walking distances between terminal gates and boarding rooms.

Wayfinding within the terminals, insists Groupe ADP, is intuitive and hospitality standards are up to the best international standards levels for a world-class passenger experience.

Groupe ADP’s deputy executive officer for development operations, Xavier Hürstel, stated: “The new Tianfu International Airport in Chengdu is a fine example of the expertise developed by Groupe ADP in large-scale airport design, which is part of our DNA as an airports operator and come from decades of experience gained in Paris and through our worldwide network.

China is a fast-growing and resilient market and Groupe ADP has gained there major references over the past 25 years, contributing in several large-scale airport projects facilities.

“The successful commissioning of Tianfu International Airport is another remarkable achievement in our long-standing relationship with China.

“We are, more than ever, committed to play an active role by providing high value-added services that contribute to the smooth expansion of the Chinese airport system.”