On November 12, Gonggar Airport in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, ended its 43-year history of not being able to handle night flights with a passenger jet bound for Chengdu City in neighboring Sichuan Province, taking off at 7:50 p.m.

The progress is the result of a $150-million navigation lighting project that the airport completed in June.

Gonggar Airport, situated 3,600 meters above sea level, is one of the world's highest airports. It began operation in March 1956. After an expansion project in 2001-03, the airport can now handle 1.1 million passengers every year.