(China Daily/Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-14 07:42

The authorities are busy renovating terminals, lengthening runways and improving services at several airports near Beijing to prepare them to serve as standbys during next year's Olympics.

At Zhengding Airport, about 30 km northeast of Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei Province, workers have expanded the air traffic control building from 44,000 sq m to 15,000 sq m.

And since May last year, workers have renovated and expanded the airport's old terminal, doubling its floor space to 55,000 sq m to prepare it for the Games, Xing Dongfang, vice-general manager of the Hebei Airport Administration Group, said.

The improved terminal will be able to handle 2.3 million passengers annually.

Li Hongwei, manager of the passenger service department of the Hebei Airport Administration Group, said: "As well as doing the renovation work, we have been training our staff in English, Olympic knowledge, Olympic etiquette and first aid."

He said airport staff will be ready to help international travelers who ask to check their luggage or inquire about the latest Games information if their flights are diverted to Zhengding due to bad weather.

Similar renovations and training have been carried out at two other alternate airports.

Since the beginning of last year, 1.5 billion yuan worth of renovations have been carried out at the Wusu International Airport, about 15 km south of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province.

Baita International Airport, about 10 km east of Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, started operating in August after undergoing renovations.

Xinhua