As a result of the rapidly expanding civil aviation industry, by 2007 China had around 500 airports of all types and sizes in operation, about 400 of which had paved runways and about 100 of which had runways of 3,047 m or shorter. There also were 35 heliports in 2007, an increasingly used type of facility. With the additional airports came a proliferation of airlines.
In 2007, the number of civil airports which were open to air traffic in China was 148, and this number will increase annually.
In 2004, the turnover of airfreight reached 7.18 billion ton-km, the passenger turnover was 178.2 billion person-km, and the volume of freight traffic 2.767 million tons. China had a total of 1,279 civil flight routes, 1,035 of them domestic routes reaching all large and medium-sized cities, and 244 of them international, connecting China with more than 70 cities overseas.
It is estimated that passenger throughput and cargo throughput of China mainland airports will rise to 540 million person-trips and 11.8 million tons respectively by 2010 with average annual growth rate of 14%. Despite the rapid growth, China is still developing its civil aerospace industry.
In 2007, the number of civil airports which were open to air traffic in China was 148, and this number will increase annually.
In 2004, the turnover of airfreight reached 7.18 billion ton-km, the passenger turnover was 178.2 billion person-km, and the volume of freight traffic 2.767 million tons. China had a total of 1,279 civil flight routes, 1,035 of them domestic routes reaching all large and medium-sized cities, and 244 of them international, connecting China with more than 70 cities overseas.
It is estimated that passenger throughput and cargo throughput of China mainland airports will rise to 540 million person-trips and 11.8 million tons respectively by 2010 with average annual growth rate of 14%. Despite the rapid growth, China is still developing its civil aerospace industry.