Airport construction boom in China

The domestic airport expansion has been flying high in recent years, especially during the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The construction boom was a topic at this year's Airport Expansion Summit in Beijing.

Industry leaders and aviation regulators discussed ways to expand air transportation and accelerate the civil aviation infrastructure across the country, especially in small cities.

The use of new equipment to enhance airport operations was also discussed. Forum participants say economic growth, social mobility and the rapidly expanding middle-class have all contributed to the country's drive to build or expand its airports.

According to the IATA Airline Industry Forecast, China will have the second-largest volume of domestic flight passengers, after the US, by 2016, with 415 million fliers.