Inline Checked Bag Screening Up as 2008 Olympic Games Goes Down
Beijing Capital International Airport’s (BCIA) Terminal Three just got some new technology to say goodbye to Olympics visitors. GE Security’s CTX 9000 advanced technology explosives detection systems are helping BCIA better protect visitors and athletes returning home after the Olympic Games. They are configured to optimally accommodate the 43 million air passengers and 170,000 flights per year for which the terminal was designed and also serve as a model for inline baggage screening systems throughout the country and region.
The security system is designed to integrate with airport baggage handling systems. The CTX 9000 system is TSA-certified and is often well suited for fast-paced airport environments.
With construction of the new Terminal Three beginning in 2004, China has invested approximately $2 billion USD to develop it as a modern gateway to accommodate increased international visitation to the Chinese capitol. The terminal’s development is part of an unprecedented $40 billion USD infrastructure investment ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games, which host city Beijing anticipates to be among the most profitable and well attended of recent Games.
Designed for ease of operation and service, with multiplexing capabilities and a low false alarm rate, the CTX 9000 system can be an excellent investment for high-volume airports. Its advanced technology can assist customers to efficiently and accurately identify the most challenging threat substances.
The new Terminal Three opened to the public earlier this year. It consists of three concourses with a combined total area of some 1,000,000 square meters. Concourse C accommodates domestic and international check-in, domestic departures, and domestic and international baggage claim. Concourse D is temporarily dedicated to charter flights during the Olympic and the Paralympics Games. Concourse E is for international departures and arrivals.
About Beijing Capital International Airport
The Beijing Capital International Airport terminal officially opened on October 1, 1999, marking the 50th anniversary of Chinese Communist rule. This new, bright and airy terminal, built at a cost of $1.1 billion, is a welcome replacement for the former facility, which started operating in the 1950s, and has become increasingly cramped and dingy with the rise in the number of passengers visiting China.
The new four-story terminal (including basement level) covers an area of 336,000 square meters -- three times the size of the former terminal -- and puts much more emphasis on passenger comfort. The complex also includes a large-scale public parking building and a cargo station.