A Boeing 747-8 airplane conducts a test take off on the new runway at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport on June 20. [Photo by Luo Bin/liangjiang.gov.cn]

The third runway at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport recently finished construction, with a first test airplane completing a successful take off on June 20.

A Boeing 747-8 supplied by Air China conducted the runway tests to ensure that the new runway and basic facilities complied with international airwothiness standards.

The runway, taxiway, parking apron, taxi patterns, airfield signage and tag arrangement all received inspections before the test take off and flight.

A passenger plane taxis on the runway of Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. [Photo/liangjiang.gov.cn]

The new runway is 3,800 meters long and 75 meters wide, capable of safely accommodating the landing of an Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger plane. The airport will add a further 94 parking spaces, more than doubling parking availability.

Local officials estimate that 20 percent of China's domestic air traffic will pass through the airport following the completion of its expansion. The airport is designed to accommodate an annual passenger throughput of 45 million trips and a total cargo and mail volume of 1.1 million tons.

Edited by Zachary Dye