Sand storms have stranded more than 800 passengers at Lhasa airport in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region since Sunday, said an Air China official on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday, more than 800 passengers had been stranded and they were expected to take off by Wednesday, the official said.

The storms occurred amid the transportation peak of the Spring Festival, more staff members and larger airplanes had been arranged to help the passengers leave as soon as possible, the official said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2009)