Passenger flights to return at Longhua Airport

Longhua Airport is to become a general aviation hub for the East China region and expected to be open to the public by the end of the year, Xuhui District officials said.

The airport will be upgraded to an A-level general aviation airport and be as a take off and landing site for passenger flights, Xuhui's Deputy Director Wei Lan told a Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference consultative session held for members and company representatives earlier this week.

Longhua Airport, on the west bank of the Huangpu River, is one of the birthplaces of China's civil aviation industry.

It operated as a civil airport until 1966, when passenger services were moved to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. A heliport remained in operation for medical, police and firefighting services.

The West Bund riverside area in Xuhui District is a popular area for various outdoor events, leisure activities and performances, with many art galleries and exhibition spaces.

A comprehensive function building will also be set up at the airport by 2027, Wei said.

Unlike B-level airports, which are not accessible to the public, A-levels can offer passenger flights and general aviation services.

With the revitalization of the airport, Wei said there plans to use the airport for drone performances, air taxi sightseeing tours and logistics transportation.

The "low-altitude economy" has been included in the national development roadmap and commercial flight licenses are widely expected to be issued by national authorities by next year.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China predicts the low-altitude market in China will reach 1.5 trillion yuan by 2025 and 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.