Aircraft have begun to arrive at Beijing's new Daxing Airport. The news comes ahead of the airports opening, expected to happen within the next week.

For some time now, Beijing's Capital Airport (PEK) has been slowly filling up. As such the decision was made not to replace the airport, but to complement it. The finished project is Beijing Daxing Airport (PKX). Daxing is a new four runway mega airport with plenty of room for future expansion. After years of hard work, the airport is finally set to open within the next week, with China United Airlines set to be the launch operator.

China United Airlines launch

Beijing Daxing Airport will be launched initially with China United Airlines. The carrier is currently the only commercial user of a nearby airport named Beijing Nanyuan Airport. However, it is set to pack up shop and relocate to the new Daxing Airport.

As the airline's current airport will be closed after it departs, China United Airlines is expected to move all of its assets to Daxing in one overnight operation. This will involve most of the airlines' Boeing 737 aircraft being ferried across in one go.

Beijing Daxing Airport, China United Airlines, New Beijing Airport
China United Airlines is to become the first operator at Beijing's Daxing Airport. Photo: byeangel via Flickr

The move has begun

China United Airlines' first aircraft arrived in Beijing a week ago. However, this aircraft appeared unaccompanied, having sat on the ground ever since according to data from FlightRadar24. The first aircraft to arrive was a Boeing 737-800 which operated the ferry flight with the flight number KN1001.

More recently, China United Airlines has repositioned five more Boeing 737 aircraft under flight numbers ranging from KN1001 to KN1007. This brings the total number of China United Aircraft on the ground to six. These aircraft may be currently going unused for the airline's flight schedule, as it could store the aircraft at the new airport today.

Beijing Daxing, New Beijing Airport, China United Airlines
Inside the new airport. Photo: N509FZ via Wikimedia

Other airlines

For other airlines, the move will be much more simple. Take British Airways and LOT Polish Airlines, for example. They will both one day depart from Beijing Capital and fly back to their respective bases. The next day they will simply land slightly further south at the new Beijing airport instead.

While the move may be slightly more stressful for the other Chinese carriers, there will still likely be a large amount of planning going on. However, these airlines don't have the pressure of an airport closing behind them. As such, if something somehow misses the migration, it is not the end of the world. Around 13 hours ago a China Eastern Airbus A350 also landed at the airport.

Are you due to fly from Beijing's new Daxing airport? Are you excited? Let us know in the comments.