Chengdu Tianfu International Airport Explained

Iata:TFU
Icao:ZUTF
Coordinates:30.319°N 104.445°W
Pushpin Map:China Sichuan#China
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Sichuan##Location in China
Pushpin Label:TFU/ZUTF
Type:Public
Owner-Oper:Sichuan Provincial Airport Group
City-Served:Chengdu
Location:Lujia Town, Jianyang, Sichuan, China
Elevation-M:440
Metric-Elev:yes
Image Map Caption:Airport Map
R1-Number:01/19
R1-Length-M:4,000[1]
R1-Surface:Concrete
R2-Number:02/20
R2-Length-M:3,200[2]
R2-Surface:Concrete
R3-Number:11
R3-Length-M:3,800
R3-Surface:Concrete
Metric-Rwy:yes
Stat1-Header:Passengers
Stat1-Data:44,786,101
Stat2-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat2-Data:329,559
Stat3-Header:Cargo (in tons)
Stat3-Data:245,896.7
Stat-Year:2023
Footnotes:Source: List of the busiest airports in China
A: used for take-offs in one direction only
Order:st
S:成都天府国际机场
T:成都天府國際機場
P:Chéngdū Tiānfǔ Guójì Jīchǎng

Chengdu Tianfu International Airport — abbreviated as Tianfu Airport — is one of two international airports serving Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in Southwestern China.

The airport is located at Lujia Town, Jianyang, 51km (32miles) southeast of Downtown Chengdu. It is named after the Tianfu New Area, a development zone for Chengdu in which the airport is.[3] Construction began in May 2016 and the airport opened on 27 June 2021.

In 2023, both Chengdu Tianfu International Airport and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport handled a total of 538,000 flight takeoffs and landings, with a passenger volume of 74.924 million. The annual passenger volume makes Chengdu 3rd among the cities with airport systems in China.[4] Chengdu Tianfu International Airport alone ranks 39th between the busiest airports in the world, the fifth-busiest in China when ranked by passenger traffic (44,786,101 passengers in 2023 alone).

History

Plans for a new airport for Chengdu had been in place since 2007.[5] In May 2011, officials confirmed the planning process for selecting a location had started.[5] In June 2013, the Civil Aviation Administration of China officially confirmed and approved Jianyang's Lujia Town as the location for the new airport.[5]

In January 2015, the State Council and Central Military Commission approved the new airport project,[5] and the official name Chengdu Tianfu International Airport was finalized by the Civil Aviation Administration of China in September 2015.[6] [5] In January 2021, flight testing was done[7] [8] and on 27 June 2021, the first commercial flight departed from the airport.[9]

Design

The airport is intended to become the third-largest airport hub in China, after Beijing and Shanghai. The airport opened with three runways (two north-south and one east-west) with two terminals with a capacity of 60 million passengers per year by 2025 and a cargo capacity of 24.45 thousand tonnes.[10]

The full plan includes six runways and four terminals with the capacity to handle 90 million passengers per year.[11] On June 1, 2015, the Sichuan Provincial Airport Group announced a general design scheme for the airport. The winning design was by China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute, China Airport Construction Group Corporation, and French architectural firm ADP Ingenierie.

The airport features two terminal buildings in the shape of the mythical Sunbird, used as a logo for the city of Chengdu. From a central hollow circular core, 6 arms radiate outwards with both terminals mirroring the other.[12]

Airlines and destinations

Tianfu International Airport is a major base for Air China. The flag carrier operates maintenance facilities, a 1,500-bed staff hostel, and a 2950m2 lounge at the airport. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport did not operate international flights until 26 March 2023, taking over most international and cargo routes from Shuangliu International Airport, with the latter specializing in domestic flights.[13] Beginning from March 28, 2023, Air China will change the flight to Taipei Taoyuan from Chengdu Shuangliu to Chengdu Tianfu.[14]

Cargo

Ground transportation

Internal transportation

The two airport terminals will be connected by an Innovia automated people mover (APM) supplied by joint venture firm Puzhen Bombardier Transportation Systems Limited, which has also won the operations and maintenance contract.[15] To connect airport parking to the two terminal buildings there will be a personal rapid transit system, consisting of 6miles of guideway, 4 stations and 22 pods.[16]

External transportation

Highway

Metro (Subway)

Bus

High-speed Train

Taxi

Visa-exemption transit

144-hour Visa-free Transit

Holders of passports issued by 53 countries do not require a visa for a 144-hour stay if they are transiting through Chengdu Tianfu International Airport / Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport of entry, provided that they:[19] [20]

In order to qualify for the 144-hour visa-free transit, the traveler's inbound and outbound flights must directly arrive at and depart from one of the acceptable ports of entry from or to a third country (including one of the two SARs of Hong Kong and Macau). Both flights must have no stopovers of any kind within mainland China prior to arrival or after departure at the port of entry, and the outbound flight's first stop or destination must be in a different country than the inbound flight's. Travels between U.S. territories and the contiguous U.S. are also ineligible for the 144-hour transit-without-visa, unless one of their flights has a stopover in a third country or a SAR.

A passenger who completed the inspection process will be given a temporary entry permit, which may be in the form of a stamp or a sticker, with the approved area of stay as well as date of entry and departure.[21]

Travelers utilizing the 144-hour visa-free transit scheme at Chengdu airports (both Chengdu Tianfu International Airport and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport) are authorized to travel within the region of 11 cities in Sichuan Province during the period, including Chengdu City, Leshan City, Deyang City, Suining City, Meishan City, Ya'an City, Ziyang City, Neijiang City, Zigong City, Luzhou City, and Yibin City.[22]

Eligible countries

  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
    • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 1
Source:[23]

24-hour Visa-free Transit

Under the 24-hour Visa-exemption policy, visa is not required for travelers who:

All nationalities are eligible for the 24-hour Visa-exemption International Transit through Chengdu Tianfu International Airport.[24]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 天府机场西一跑道亮灯. 2020-09-24. 凯风网.
  2. Web site: 成都天府国际机场完成盲降设备安装调试. 中国民航网. 2020-10-14. 2020-11-02. 2020-11-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20201109105928/http://www.caacnews.com.cn/1/5/202010/t20201014_1311917_wap.html.
  3. Web site: Chengdu Tianfu International Airport - Chengdu Expat Chengdu-Expat.com . 2024-01-27 . Chengdu Expat . en-US.
  4. Web site: 成都航空枢纽2023年旅客吞吐量近7500万人次 . 2024-02-02 . www.sc.chinanews.com.cn.
  5. News: 成都天府国际机场正式开工 拟2020年投用. 四川省人民政府 The People's Government of Sichuan Province.
  6. Web site: 成都第二机场正式定名为成都天府国际机场_新浪四川_新浪网. 2019-08-04. sc.sina.com.cn.
  7. Web site: New Chengdu Airport Begins Test Flights, Plans For June 30 Opening. 2021-01-22. Aviation Week.
  8. Web site: Chengdu Tianfu International Airport completes test with passenger planes. 2021-01-23. Big News Network.
  9. News: New airport opens to flights in China's Chengdu . 27 June 2021 . 27 June 2021.
  10. Web site: 2021-06-01. Air China Finishes New Base at Chengdu Tianfu Airport. 2021-06-28. AirlineGeeks.com. en.
  11. Web site: China's new Tianfu airport moves towards official opening . 27 June 2021 .
  12. News: Blueprint of Chengdu New Airport Published . Go Chengdu . 2015-06-05 . 2015-12-07.
  13. Web site: 国际航线全部平移至天府机场 全货机航线分阶段平移至天府机场 现有地区航线可保留在双流机场. 2021-06-28. e.chengdu.cn. All international routes are shifted to Tianfu Airport. All cargo routes are shifted to Tianfu Airport in stages. Existing regional routes can be kept at Shuangliu Airport.. 2023-03-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20230321024725/https://e.chengdu.cn/html/2019-09/18/content_659728.htm. dead.
  14. https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230124-catpe Air China NS23 Chengdu – Taipei service changes
  15. Web site: Alstom's Chinese JV Wins Operation and Maintenance Contract for Airport APM . 14 June 2021 . 27 June 2021.
  16. Web site: Chengdu Tianfu International Airport PRT System . ATRA Pulse . ATRA . 10 June 2021.
  17. Web site: 2020-12-24. The main line of Chengdu Tianfu International Airport Expressway was completed. live. 2021-06-27. Seetao. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210627194026/https://www.seetao.com/details/54022/en.html . 2021-06-27 .
  18. News: The main line of Chengdu Tianfu International Airport Expressway was completed . 15 July 2021 . Seetao News . 24 December 2020.
  19. Web site: 成都恢复144小时过境免签政策 . 2023-10-04 . sc.people.com.cn.
  20. Web site: 成都天府国际机场口岸正式对外开放-中国民航网 . 2023-10-04 . www.caacnews.com.cn.
  21. Web site: 144小时过境免签政策解读 . 2023-10-04 . www.nia.gov.cn.
  22. Web site: 成都航空口岸外国人过境144小时免办签证政策停留区域扩大至11个市 . 2023-10-04 . gat.sc.gov.cn.
  23. Web site: 成都航空口岸外国人过境144小时免签停留范围政策答疑 . 2023-10-04 . gat.sc.gov.cn.
  24. Web site: 中国发布丨便利外籍人员来华5项措施公布 服务保障高水平对外开放-中国网 . 2024-02-02 . news.china.com.cn.