Beijing authority confirms duty-free involvement in new terminal

Print Article E-Mail Article

Beijing Capital International Airport is to maintain control of duty-free retail in its new terminal three, due to open in late 2007

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) is to manage duty-free at the airport's third terminal when it is opened shortly before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The airport already oversees duty-free at the existing T2, and confirmed that it would continue in-house operation as it announced that construction of the new facility would start on March 28.

The authority revealed no further plans for commercial space at the Rmb16bn ($1.93bn) terminal, scheduled for completion by December 31 2007. However, it said that the terminal, which will be designed and constructed by a partnership comprising British architect Sir Norman Foster and Partners, construction firm Arup and Dutch airport planner NACO, would be ?evocative of traditional Chinese colours and symbols?.

Meanwhile, the authority said business at the existing facility is recovering well from last year's downturn. A BCIA spokesman told TRW: ?'We expect duty-free turnover in 2004 to increase 15% on 2002 levels.''  

As well as the new international terminal, BCIA's ?15-year plan? for the airport includes a new runway, an international exhibition centre, a hotel, bonded warehouses and two residential villages.