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              Beijing: The world's 
              highest-altitude civilian airport in China will start operations 
              in May after a successful landing test Friday, authorities said.
 The Daocheng Yading airport, built at an altitude of 4,411 metres 
              above the sea level in Sichuan province, is just 130 km from the 
              scenic Yading nature reserve.
 
 An Airbus A319 passenger plane landed successfully at Daocheng 
              after flying in from Chengdu, the provincial capital, Xinhua 
              reported.
 
 The country's flagship carrier, Air China, is expected to launch 
              the one-hour flight between Yading and Chengdu in May, said Tan 
              Heng, an airport official.
 
 The construction of the airport was completed in August this year.
 
 The Bangda airport in Tibet, located 4,334 metres above sea level, 
              previously held the record as the world's highest-altitude 
              airport.
 
              
 
 
 
               
 
              
              
 
 
 
              
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