On Christmas Eve today, the airport is greeting another passenger peak, especially expatriates, officials revealed yesterday.

"I've already waited for more than half an hour. It's my fourth year of going back home from Shanghai, and it seems that the number of foreign passengers is increasing every year," said Taylor.

Long queues were seen in front of all ticketing counters for international flights over the past week, especially the last three days, said Wang Lin, an airport staff who packs bags for passengers.

The airport reported handling 75 international flights, with about 11,000 passengers, everyday in recent days.

According to Liu Jiahong, a public relations official with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, more than 80 percent of seats on its Shanghai-Amsterdam flights have been occupied since the beginning of December, up from 60 percent of last year. "I think the jump is a result of more foreigners living and working in Shanghai," said Liu.

The city is now home to some 60,000 expatriates.

Not all passengers at the airport were from Shanghai, some had come from other cities after finding it difficult to get international flight tickets, airport officials said.

Suzanne L. Farinha who works in a language school in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, flew to Shanghai before taking an Air Canada flight to return home to Toronto.

"I began booking tickets three months ago in Hong Kong, but they were already sold out. When I turned to Shanghai, I found that Christmas flight tickets were just as difficult here," said Farinha, hoping to arrive home in time for the family reunion on Christmas Eve.

With passenger flow increasing, their luggage has also become heavier.

"I've been busy packing baggages these days since most foreigners going home for their holidays take much more luggage with them than usual. Mostly they include Chinese art works like Chinese knots, Beijing Opera masks, clay models as well as calligraphy and paintings," said Wang.

Taylor, manager of a U.S.-based computer firm, said, "I bought lots of silk scarves and clothes since my mother as well as many of my friends are fascinated by them."

(eastday.com December 24, 2002)