Actions are under way to nearly double the flight capacity of the city's two airports and improve road access around the terminals to prepare for visitors to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

Wu Nianzu, president of the Shanghai Airport Authority, said yesterday that discussions have been launched with the regional air traffic control authority on ways to gradually increase the number of daily flights at the two local transport hubs from the current 1,200 to nearly 2,000 before the Expo.

Wu said a new operating plan for the Hongqiao International Airport is scheduled to be developed soon. A second runway and second terminal will go into use before 2010.

He also said the authority plans to expand traffic access to and between the two airports, an improvement that is urgently needed as road access to the Pudong International Airport is insufficient.

(Shanghai Daily October 10, 2008)