Harman Patil (Editor)

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Airport type
  
Public

Elevation AMSL
  
4 m / 13 ft

Province
  
Guangdong Province

Architect
  
Massimiliano Fuksas

Serves
  
Shenzhen

Code
  
SZX

Phone
  
+86 755 2345 6789

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport

Operator
  
Shenzhen Airport Company Ltd.

Hub for
  
Shenzhen Airlines Hainan Airlines SF Airlines Donghai Airlines UPS Airlines

Focus city for
  
China Southern Airlines

Address
  
Bao'an, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (Chinese: 深圳宝安国际机场; formerly Shenzhen Huangtian Airport) (IATA: SZX, ICAO: ZGSZ) is located near Huangtian and Fuyong villages in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, 32 kilometres (20 mi) northwest of the city center. It is a hub for Shenzhen Airlines and Shenzhen Donghai Airlines and for cargo airline SF Airlines, and a focus city for China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines. The airport also serves as an Asian-Pacific cargo hub for UPS Airlines. The airport is undergoing major expansion with a second runway completed and opened in 2011 and a new terminal which opened in 2013.

Contents

It is one of the three largest airport hubs serving the Pearl River Delta urbanised area in southern China, alongside Hong Kong International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. The airport also has direct ferry routes to Hong Kong International Airport, where passengers can transit without going through immigration and custom checks, akin to transit between two flights.

In comparison with Hong Kong International Airport, Shenzhen International Airport offers greater connectivity to domestic Chinese cities at cheaper ticket prices. For international travelers, the lack of long-haul air connections outside of Asia and the relatively poorer service in English are two major disadvantages.

History

The airport was opened on 12 October 1991. It occupies an area of 10.8 km2. Its original runway is 3400 m long and 45 m wide, and it has 53 parking spaces on its apron.

Shenzhen airport handled 26,713,610 passengers in 2010, according to Civil Aviation Administration of China, making it the fifth busiest in China. The airport was also China's 4th busiest and world's 24th busiest airport in terms of cargo traffic, registering 947,150 tonnes of freight in the year to September 2014. In terms of passenger movements, Shenzhen airport was the 5th busiest airport in China in 2015.

Former Terminals

  • Terminal A – for domestic flights (closed from 10pm 27 November 2013)
  • Terminal B – for domestic flights (closed from 10pm 27 November 2013)
  • Terminal D – for international flights (closed from 10pm 27 November 2013)
  • These terminals covered an area of 152,000 sq meters and consisting of 24 jetways. The International Terminal D was opened in December 2008. It had no air gates of its own, just airside bus service to distant positions around the airport.

    "Terminal 3"(Current Terminal)

    At the beginning of 2008 the 1.6 km long new terminal commenced being built. This new terminal building was called "Terminal 3" from the beginning of construction until its formal opening. Soon after the decision of the closure of Terminals A, B and D, "Terminal 3" was renamed as it was the only Terminal building in operation.

    Architect: Massimiliano Fuksas, Rome; Structure, Facade and Parametric Design: Knippers Helbig, Stuttgart. The terminal was opened on 28 November 2013 after 4 years of construction and planning.

    leisure: Bao'an has an Indoor swimming pool, out door swimming pool, wirlpool and a JW Marriott hotel

    Terminal

    The new terminal is divided into three parts: a main building and two large corridors — 1,050 meters long and 650 meters wide — that form a cross shape. The new terminal is three times the size of former Terminals A and B, with 450,000 square meters of floor space, 62 boarding gates and the ability to accommodate any type of plane in the world. The main building has four floors above ground and two floors underground. A connecting Ground Transport Center adjoins the terminal to the south. The main building's third floor is the waiting area for domestic and international flights, which depart from the east wing.

    Ground Transportation Center

    The baggage areas of Terminal C are short walks away from the Ground Transportation Center (GTC), where passengers can take buses, taxis and Shenzhen Metro trains. The transportation center offers local and long-distance bus services on the first floor, with taxi and Airport Express Shuttle 330 bus services on the second floor. The underground floor connects with Airport Station on Metro Line 11. Bus M416 also provides a shuttle service to Hourui Station on Line 1.

    Other facilities

    Shenzhen Airlines is headquartered on the grounds of the airport. Jade Cargo International was headquartered on the sixth floor of the Shenzhen Airlines Flight Operations Building on grounds of Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport. Shenzhen Donghai Airlines has its head office in the Shenzhen Airlines facility on the airport property.

    SF Airlines has its headquarters in the No.1 Freight Depot of the International Shipping Center.

    Ground transport

    Regular bus and minibus services links the Airport with the rest of the city. Intercity bus services to some other nearby cities such as Hong Kong and Dongguan are also available.

    Local taxis, and often some taxis from Dongguan, can pick up passengers there from three designated waiting areas. These will have the capacity to handle 21 taxi cabs picking up passengers simultaneously.

    Metro / rail

    Airport Station on Line 11 provides eastbound service from the airport via Bao'an and Nanshan to Futian Station, connecting with Futian Railway Station High Speed Rail services, and westbound service via Fuyong, Shajing and Songgang to Bitou.

    There are also shuttle services connecting with Line 1 of the Shenzhen Metro. Non-stopping service M416 runs between Hourui Station and the new terminal.

    In the future, Shenzhen–Maoming High-Speed Railway, Guangzhou–Dongguan–Shenzhen Intercity Railway, Line 20 (Dongguan Rail Transit Line 2) and Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Express Railway are planned to stop here.

    Ferry

    Fast ferries are available to Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal and Taipa Ferry Terminal in Macau plus to the Skypier Ferry Terminal at Hong Kong International Airport via the nearby Fuyong Pier. Free shuttle buses connect the Pier and the Airport.

    Direct services to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon were suspended because the Terminals A & B's long distance from the ferry terminal made it unpopular for commuters. However, with the opening of Terminal C, direct services may be resumed because it is much closer.

    Airport express shuttle bus

    Main shuttle bus service is provided with "330" branded buses. These are located on the western side of the Ground Transportation Center. Two major routes are served, 330 from the airport to the west square of Shenzhen Railway Station, with 3 stops along the way. From the city to the airport is from Hualian Mansion building (Exit B of Science Museum Station), direct to the airport. City Terminal check-in services are available for some airlines inside the Hualian Mansion.

    The other route, 330B runs from the airport to Longgang City Terminal in Longgang district.

    A future service connecting the airport with Shenzhen North Railway Station is expected to start when the new Terminal 3 opens as part of 5 new major airport express shuttle buses.

    Cross-border bus

    Buses currently run mostly via Shenzhen Bay Control Point to many destinations across Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories.

    New City Terminal of Shenzhen Airport opens in Hong Kong, (23 March 2010).

    Coach service is provided by Trans Island Limousine Service Ltd serving SZIA and Hong Kong, including Sheung Wan, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok (Prince Edward), Tsim Sha Tsui and Hong Kong International Airport.

    A direct coach service, operated by Chinalink Bus Company, is available at Elements Mall in Hong Kong. Passengers may check-in for their flights at the bus terminal but luggage must still be carried to the airport by the passengers. The service operates from Kowloon Station on the Airport Express (MTR) line direct to the Shenzhen International airport.

    Shenzhen–Zhongshan Bridge

    The planned Shenzhen–Zhongshan Bridge will directly connect Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport on the eastern side of the Pearl River Delta with the city of Zhongshan on the western side.

    It will consist of a series of bridges and tunnels and will cut travel time from Shenzhen to Zhongshan to less than 30 minutes. Construction of the proposed 51 km eight-lane link is scheduled to start in 2015, with completion scheduled for 2021.

    References

    Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport Wikipedia