The new Baiyun Airport

[Ian_Lee]

The new Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou, which is the largest in the whole country (much larger than Shanghai's Pudong) has been completed and begun operation yesterday.

Even though the attached infrastructure has not been finished (i.e. subway still needs 6 years more to connect with city center), Govenor Huang Hua Hua already bragged during the opening ceremony that Guangzhou will become one of the three main domestic air hubs and an international passenger and freight hub.

It seems Guangzhou will go into fierce competition with Hong Kong's airport which is merely 65 milles away. Hong Kong's airport is already an established international air hub and the largest cargo handler in the world.

In the meantime, DHL established its Asian hub in Hong Kong yesterday by building a $100 million cargo port while Fed Express announced that it planned to establish its Asian hub in Guangzhou.

So it seems competition will be keen in the future. Even though Baiyuan is larger than Chep Lap Kok (HK's), size doesn't always matter as judged by the competition between Changi and KLIA.

But any way, the people in the Pearl River Region are very lucky since air ticket prices at both airports will probably go down soon.

In fact, HK's airport has already been connected with every major town in the Pearl River Region by hydrofoil (including Guangzhou).

And for low-cost no frill airfare, many newly established carriers that land on Macau airport can offer air fare as cheap as HK$250 (US$33) one way to Bangkok.

[keith]

I'm a bit worried how this will affect HK's economy. The HK economy is not exactly rock solid at the moment.

Will HK lose most of its trade to GD over the next 10 years????

[skylee]

Was everything all right with the opening?

Can't help remembering how chaotic the HK airport was when it was opened. It was exactly what the Cantonese expression "倒瀉籮蟹" means (imagine the floor full of crabs crawling) ...

[Quest]

found some pictures of the new airport:

[liuzhou]

Severe lack of planes in those pictures!

[ala]

looks nice! Hope it's more conveniently located than Pudong....

[bhchao]

Nice architecture

[berylchan]

Though it's large, new and nice, it's inconvenient at the moment. It's far away from the downtown, I mean the GZ city. More than RMB 100 by taxi and it takes about an hour, even the nearest airport bus would take half an hour... Anyway, it's a big event!!

[Ian_Lee]

Actually the trend of airport location is to build it farther and farther from the city center.

From Hong Kong's City terminal at Central, by train it takes 23 minutes to get to the airport. One way adult far costs HK$100.

From Hong Kong East, by airport bus it takes 1 hour 10 minutes (in average) and HK$45 one way per adult.

By taxi, it is over HK$300 (including all the tunnel and bridge tolls).

Many people complained first, but now it seems everybody is getting used to it.

[ala]

From Hong Kong's City terminal at Central, by train it takes 23 minutes to get to the airport. One way adult far costs HK$100.

And people complain about the Shanghai Maglev price at 50 RMB. 8 minutes for something that will take more than an hour with every other means.

[Ian_Lee]

From what I heard, the frequency of Maglev is about every 30 minutes (or longer). HK's airport railway is more frequent. In rush hour it is about once every 10 minutes. It also runs past midnight.

Moreover, you can check the baggage at the City terminal 4-5 hours in advance, go to attend business meeting and get on the train 1 & half hour before flight departure.

If you arrive at the City terminal from airport, they provide free shuttle bus to get you to major hotels. The chauffeur will even load and unload your 70 lbs baggage (no tips needed).

The train is very passenger friendly since the train platform is on the same level with the departure concourse (airport bound) and arrival concourse (town-bound).

Actually if you don't have any baggage, the fare is just HK$23 one way per adult if you get on the normal train to go to Tung Chung (an airport town two minutes by bus to the terminal) which basically runs on the same track but with less fancy train and more stops on the way.

[berylchan]

For me, I used to paid RMB 30 sth before to get to the airport. But now, at least RMB 100 sth., that's a big raise! Anyway, people only needs time to be getting use to it!

[oranabana]

Flew inot the old Baiyun airport on the 30th of July and out of the new on the 10th of Aug. Must say, apart from the distance to the new and the severe lack of food stalls/cafe etc in the new the best thing about the new one is that it is completely airconditioned.

Paid RMB 100 from Shamian Island to the aiport at 06:00 in the morning. The taxi driver actually run the meter anyhow, which ended up at 108 RMB, but he stuck to our ageed price of 100 RMB, as we told him at the beginning that we only have 100 RMB.

Also note, that there is a 'international channel', where you show your passport and ticket. Once you pass that, there is no going back. This is before you even get to the Check in facilities - all in the name of security?! (wanted to check in an then take some more pics around the airport...mmmh).

The international channel only has two cafe's at present, that are totally over priced. They basically try to be 'western', where they would do a much better job at serving decent dim-sum and other traditinal chinese fare. Went for instant noodles (which was cheapest at 38 RMB and alright - there is not much you can do wrong with instant noodles I guess).

Last suprise was, that you have to pay a departure tax of RMB 90, which is payable in cash only as far as I could figure out. You been warned!

There seems to be a new website for the airport at:

http://www.newsgd.com/specials/airportguide/

>;-)

[skylee]

Last suprise was, that you have to pay a departure tax of RMB 90, which is payable in cash only as far as I could figure out. You been warned!

RMB90 for an international journey, RMB50 for domestic, to be paid separately at the airport. This is no news.

[Ian_Lee]

Actually the new Baiyun airport is more costly and time consuming in terms of freight handling as compared with HK's Chek Lap Kok. Read:

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/story/0,4386,268274-1093125540,00.html?

CLKA also has an edge over BIA in freight costs. A recent report by a foreign consultancy, GHK, commissioned by Hong Kong's Airport Authority, shows that it can be cheaper for a factory in Guangdong to move air cargo through Hong Kong than through Guangzhou.

GHK said it costs an average of HK$24.60 per kg to airlift cargo via Hong Kong to Frankfurt, compared with HK$27.60 per kg via Guangzhou or Shenzhen.

It also estimated that exporters would save two days by shipping through CLKA than through Guangzhou or Shenzhen.

[skylee]

RMB90 for an international journey, RMB50 for domestic, to be paid separately at the airport. This is no news.

Starting from 1.9.2004, the airport tax will be incorporated in the ticket price ->

中國民航﹕機場建設費改在購買機票時繳納