The Beijing Capital International Airport will launch a new customer service hotline from Aug 1, with access guaranteed even under extreme weather conditions.

The new hotline, 010-96158, has expanded handling capacities so that fewer callers will have to wait when the line is engaged.

It will offer more customer-friendly services, such as flight timetables, lost and found inquiries and special arrangements for vulnerable people such as seniors and pregnant women, according to the airport.

The old service number, 010-64541100, was activated in 2006 and has attracted complaints for being too long and difficult to remember. It was also difficult to access during peak periods.

In 2011, the line answered on average of 25,000 calls a day and peaked at 34,100 calls a day.

The airport's ability to respond to passengers' inquiries has been tested over the past week, when many people were left stranded by the heavy rains which hit Beijing on July 21.

Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed because of the rainfall that day and subsequent thunderstorms.

liyao@chinadaily.com.cn