This photo taken on Dec. 23, 2022 shows a view of the Taxkorgan airport in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
TAXKORGAN, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- A passenger aircraft on Friday morning arrived in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, marking the inauguration of the region's first high plateau airport.
Departing from the regional capital Urumqi at 8:57 a.m., the flight CZ5193, operated by China Southern Airlines, landed at the Taxkorgan airport at 10:59 a.m. The airport, located at 3,258 meters above sea level, is China's westernmost transportation airport.
Equipped with a 3,800-meter runway, the airport is designed to handle an annual throughput of 160,000 passengers and 400 tonnes of cargo and mail. Construction of the airport began in 2020, with an investment of more than 1.6 billion yuan (about 229 million U.S. dollars).
Staff members get prepared to receive the first flight arriving at the Taxkorgan airport in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
This photo taken on Dec. 23, 2022 shows a view of the Taxkorgan airport in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
The first flight taxis at the Taxkorgan airport in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
The first flight lands at the Taxkorgan airport in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)
The first flight arrives at the Taxkorgan airport in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)
Passengers get off the first flight at the Taxkorgan airport after arrival in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)
Tajik girls in traditional attire greet passengers of the first flight at the Taxkorgan airport in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)
The first flight taxis at the Taxkorgan airport in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)
The first flight is about to touch down at the Taxkorgan airport in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
