Wuxi airport to add fast exit taxiways, parking aprons

Sunan Shuofang International Airport is located in Xinwu district, Wuxi. [Photo/wxrb.com]

The flight area of the Sunan Shuofang International Airport will be reconstructed and expanded, according to the Jiangsu Development and Reform Commission on Dec 21.

The construction project includes three fast exit taxiways and six parking aprons for category C aircraft on the east side of the flight area's north parking apron. Construction will begin at the end of December.

The project is expected to reduce the amount of time an aircraft occupies the runway, improving the efficiency of flight take-off and landing.

The Sunan Shuofang International Airport currently offers flights to 75 cities, while a route network covering China and the Asia-Pacific and connecting with Europe and America has been preliminarily established.

The "Outline of the Yangtze River Delta Regional Integration Development Plan" released by the State Council in 2019 proposed that the Yangtze River Delta should work together to create a "world-class airport cluster" and clearly stated that it "supports the development of the Sunan Shuofang Airport into a regional hub".

Experts have predicted that the future aviation demand of cities in the Yangtze River Delta will be about 300 million passengers, far exceeding the current airport capacity in the region. Therefore, the expansion of the Sunan Shuofang International Airport is key to supporting the development of the entire region.