At over 1 million square metres and able to handle 53 million people a year the new terminal at Beijing Airport promises to be the world’s biggest and most technologically advanced airport facility doubling the all ready huge airport. The brand new terminal three has been designed by British architectural firm Foster and Partners at a cost of over $3.5 billion US dollars. With the 2008 Olympic Games starting in August it is hoped the terminal will be ready for its first visitors around March next year. Nearly a quarter of a billion dollars has been spent on a roller coaster like luggage system which will be able to handle nearly 20000 items an hour from nearly 3oo counters. The system will allow departing passenger to pick up their bags in under 5 minutes of landing even from international flights.
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