Beijing airport sees record passengers in 2014

BEIJING - Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) saw 86.128 million passengers in 2014, an increase of 2.9 percent year on year, the operating authority said Wednesday.

BCIA was listed as the second busiest airport by passenger numbers in the world for its fifth-straight year, behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States.

International passenger traffic hit 20.73 million at BCIA in 2014, recording 4.6 percent growth compared with 2013, according to the airport.

In addition to passenger numbers, cargo increased 0.2 percent to 1.85million tonnes, and a total 582,000 flights were handled at BCIA last year, up 2.5 percent year on year.

To meet Beijing's rising demand for air transportation and ease the BCIA's burden, a new airport started construction in southern Beijing at the end of 2014, which will take about five years to complete.