Kunming bids farewell to Wujiaba International Airport   

昆明巫家坝国际机场谢幕

27日晚间，昆明巫家坝国际机场将正式退出历史舞台。当日，巫家坝机场调减航班967班，能见到的飞机已经不多。但记者在现场看到，多达两三百名民众，或举着手机，或抬着相机，用镜头记录着巫家坝机场的谢幕时刻。

Kunming (CNS) -- The 90-year-old Wujiaba International Airport in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, closed on Wednesday. Hundreds of citizens gathered to witness the historic moment.

Chen Xuanjing, 73, said he has a deep attachment to the airport. His first flight from Wujiaba was in 1963.

Wujiaba is among the oldest airports in China, first built under the supervision of a local warlord, General Tang Jiyao.

During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945), it was a base of operations for the legendary "Flying Tigers," the 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Chinese Air Force led by Claire Lee Chennault.

Wujiaba is to be replaced by Changshui International Airport, 24.5 kilometers from downtown Kunming. Changshui is expected to handle 38 million passengers and 950,000 tons of cargo a year.