Guangzhou airport enjoys smooth start

With memories of Hong Kong's disastrous airport opening obviously fresh in its mind, the South China Morning Post dispatched three reporters to witness the opening of Guangzhou's RMB 18 billion Baiyun International and reported favorable reviews by incoming and departing travelers. A banker just arrived on a China Southern flight from Los Angeles declared the facility �fantastic� and �much nicer than I expected.� But there was a hitch: banks were closed, there were no ATMs to be seen and he had to wait for his Guangzhou host to lend him money. But baggage handling was also judged efficient and there was no sign of rotting produce on the tarmac, as there was when Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok Airport opened six years ago. CLK has since been repeatedly named one of the world's best airports by numerous groups.