GUANGZHOU BaiYun International Airport advised passengers to arrive at the airport two hours before their flights because of stricter security checks in the leadup to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Southern Metropolitan Daily reported yesterday.

According to a new regulation, laptops and hand luggage would be checked separately through X-ray machines, taking more than ten minutes compared with around eight minutes before, according to officials with Baiyun Airport.

Increasing passenger flows before the Olympics was another reason for the airport to advise passengers to arrive earlier.

Passenger flow had increased by 10 to 20 percent each day between April 15 to 20, when the Canton Fair was held in Guangzhou, according to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

During this period, more than five scheduled flights were delayed each day because passengers had arrived at the airport late, according to sources at the airport.

Statistics released by the airport showed that the average passenger flow was more than 100,000 a day during the Canton Fair.

(Cai Yingbo)