After one month of trial operation, Gaoqi International Airport in Xiamen, Fujian province will officially launch its around-the-clock clearance service on August 26.

The service will put the airport on a shortlist of five Chinese airports to offer such services, following Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu.

The move will enable Gaoqi airport to accommodate more international routes and increase the frequency of existing lines by making full use of night hours.

Runways at Gaoqi airport are deemed to be among the busiest in the world and the daytime handling capacity has approached its limit.

Gaoqi airport has handled 180,000 domestic and international flights annually on average in recent years, equating to 500 flights per day.

As of June 2015, a total of 28 international routes brought around 500 flights to the airport each week, according to the e-port authority.

Each year, 2.45 million international travellers and 90,000 tons of cross-border cargo are processed at the airport.

The airport aims to integrate all clearance procedures, including customs, quarantine and border inspections， into one to further expedite the process.

Gaoqi airport lies on the northeast side of Xiamen Island. The municipal authority is tasked with building the airport into a major regional air hub connecting Southeastern Asian countries to China.

 

By Liu Sitong and edited by Jacob Hooson