First light for PVG's Terminal 2

Wednesday morning saw the first passengers boarding planes and taking off for domestic and international destinations from Pudong Airport's new Terminal 2. According to the Shanghai Daily:

Terminal 2 offers passenger transit halls covering 4,000 square meters with 40 service counters designed to improve transit efficiency. The new terminal will offer passenger-friendly services, airport officials said on Monday.

The new traffic center connecting the two terminals offers access to airport shuttle services, long-distance buses, the Maglev station, taxis and parking.

The new terminal is to the right as you exit the Maglev station by the KFC. The International Herald Tribune has a more fact-filled article on the opening, including news of a third planned terminal:

By 2015, Pudong plans to complete a third passenger terminal, raising its capacity to 80 million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo a year, according to a recent report by the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation.

The opening of the new terminal is part of a nationwide trend: yesterday also marked Phase 2 of the opening of Beijing International Airport's impressive new third terminal, and state planners claim that 97 new airports will open in China over the next 12 years.

Photo by Sh.Eastday.com.