With the elevation in the transport hub level, Qingdao is accelerating the expansion of “air corridor”. In the first three quarters, Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport has seen 127,100 takeoffs and landings, a passenger throughput of 16.053 million and a cargo throughput of 187,200 tons. Qingdao ranked 18th and 13th respectively in the passenger and cargo throughput over the period.

Since the beginning of this year, Qingdao Airport has been ramping up efforts to improve its air route network. Qingdao Airport and China West Airport Group join hands to build up the “express line between Qingdao and West China” to make air traffic smooth, with 31 air routes established between Qingdao and regions along the Yellow River Basin from January to October this year. The passenger throughput between Qingdao and regions along the Yellow River Basin from January to October this year climbed 11.8% from the level in 2019 to 3.182 million.

Furthermore, Qingdao Airport is accelerating the resumption of regional and international passenger and cargo transport lines. In terms of passenger transport, Since the beginning of this year, air routes connecting15 regional and international destination cities have been put into operation. By the end of October this year, Qingdao Airport has seen a combined regional and international passenger throughput of 1.063 million, a year-on-year surge of 999.7%. Qingdao occupied the third spot, only next to Shanghai and Beijing, in regard to the passenger throughput of air routes connecting Japan and South Korea, which climbed to 706,000 from January to October this year.

In terms of cargo transport, since the beginning of this year, Qingdao Airport has cumulatively put into service 11 international air cargo destinations to get connected with Japan and Korea, Europe and America, the SCO member states as well as the regions and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. From January to October this year, Qingdao Airport has seen the recovery of its international cargo throughput to 104,000 tons, 141% of the level over the same period of 2019, ranking 8th among all its Chinese peers.  (Zhou Jianliang)

An aerial view of Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport.