The number of passengers handled at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in western China's Sichuan Province yesterday reached 12,000 for the first time this year, with more than 5,000 leaving the city.

Flight load factors are on the increase these days, especially those to cities in the south and Lhasa in Tibet, officials said. Most of the air tickets to Haikou of Hainan Province have already been booked by travel agencies.

The number of incoming passengers is about one eighth of out-goers.

Airlines said the peak air travel period will come around Friday and advised passengers to book return tickets.

(Eastday.com 01/17/2001)