Shanghai's two airports handled a record 51.57 million passengers last year, an 11.8-percent increase over 2006.

The Pudong and Hongqiao airports offered services to 440,809 planes in total in 2007, up 7.61 percent. Pudong handled 58 percent, or 253,671 takeoffs and landings, while Hongqiao accommodated 42 percent, or 187,138 takeoffs and landings, according to a Shanghai Airport Authority source.

Pudong is the only airport in the world where courier companies UPS and DHL have a base. It ranked fifth globally for cargo and mail handling volume in the first three quarters of 2007, said the source.

(Shanghai Daily January 3, 2008)