Pudong International Airport in Shanghai to open new terminal

The cosmopolitan city of Shanghai is opening a second terminal early this year at its Pudong International Airport, a three-story glass structure shaped like a bird with open wings. But will it fly with passengers?

Pudong’s original, equally magnificent-looking terminal has been an embarrassment.

Built on the cheap and opened in 1999, the terminal has floors that look dull, and the waiting areas offer hard, metallic seats. The movable walkways are too narrow for people to pass. The restrooms are smelly and located downstairs. Escalators will take you down but not back up. Looking for wide food and shopping choices or high-speed wireless Internet? Forget it.

“It’s absolutely second rate,” says Sydney Chang, a consultant in Shanghai and former chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce here.

Shanghai airport authorities declined requests for interviews, but they have been quoted in official Chinese media as saying that the new terminal, part of a $1.2-billion expansion, will channel passengers more efficiently.

About 27 million travelers passed through the airport in 2006, compared with 49 million at Beijing’s airport.

Pudong officials responded to complaints from international business groups by saying that the “current problems will be greatly eased” by the new terminal and modifications at the existing terminal, including brighter lighting, English-language signs and an Internet bar.

Camilo Soto of Hacienda Heights, a regular traveler to China, would be happy enough if the restrooms in the new terminal were on the same floor as the waiting area.

“For an old guy like me, carrying luggage and some gifts can be a problem,” said the 64-year-old agronomist.