Massive China airport opens

Daxing International Airport (PKX), serving Beijing, China, opened on Sept. 25. Shaped like a 6-armed starfish, with terminals in five of the arms, it is the largest single-building airport in the world, measuring 700,000 square meters.

Twenty-nine miles south of Tiananmen Square, the airport is expected to welcome more than 170 million passengers a year. At press time, six domestic Chinese airlines were flying to and from the airport, with British Airways, Finnair and Cathay Pacific expected to begin international service shortly.

The majority of international air traffic will remain at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), 20 miles northeast of the city center, for the near future.