Chinese carrier Dragonair is advising passengers departing from Mainland airports to arrive more than two and a half hours before departure to accommodate tightened security checks.

Tightened security checks have been put in place in a number of Chinese cities since yesterday in preparation for the Beijing Olympic Games. The destinations in the Dragonair network affected by the new measures are Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shenyang and Dalian.

The Olympics also coincide with the summer peak season for travel in the Mainland, leading to potentially longer check-in times at Hong Kong International Airport.

In addition, road traffic in Beijing and other cities hosting Olympic events is expected to be heavier for the duration of the Games