By Brendan John Worrell (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-04-07 09:43

Last week London's new Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport opened with flights cancelled, baggage delays and angry passengers. It showed that even in the one of the world's most developed and affluent cities, systems hiccups still occur. Or as British Airways liked to call it, "teething problems".

Ironically it was actually a British designer Sir Norman Foster who was behind the new Terminal 3 project in Beijing. Whether the 4.3 billion pounds sterling spent on Heathrow's Terminal 5 wasn't enough to secure the services of Foster and his team is debatable. The fact Beijing was able to contract this wizard was indeed a major heist and well worth the investment.

As such last month Beijing and China as a whole took an audacious step forward into the global arena with the opening of the new Terminal 3. The fluidity this project has brought to the transportation system cannot be under estimated. It has lifted the experience for air travelers into a new dimension and added value to the capital and nation in immeasurable ways, contributing to the future capacity of the economy for decades to come.

The moment a traveler hits the ground, a nation is up for judgment. Airports provide an opportunity to treat your travelers with respect and efficient service or alternatively disregard and mismanagement. Already just a few weeks into operation and it is all systems go with staff and facilities getting a good working in the run up to the Olympics. Any problems that may have been expected were not in evidence with passengers agape at the design and relaxed with the ease of travel.

Connections to the terminal are also being streamlined with the airport expressway fully operational and the rail system linking downtown Dongzhimen soon to be given the green light. At present there is still a tendency for commuters to be dependent on taxis though in time it is expected local public transport can take the strain off this expensive, polluting compulsion.

Gradually also expect skeptics to be silenced by the applause and acceptance given to the National Center for the Performing Arts and the breathtaking CCTV tower working its way towards completion. This new architecture represents the bold ambition of China as it heads into the 21st century and sits well among its finer historical icons such as the Temple of Heaven or Forbidden City.

T3 is up there amongst the best and provides a wonderful welcoming that captures that traditional notion of hospitality that is enshrined in the Chinese and greater Oriental culture. For westerners to take that humble kowtow and acknowledge this new robust China is a battle for many but I’m sure some of those at British Airways may be on their knees as we speak.

E-mail: brendanjohnworrell@hotmail.com