The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) at north Lantau, which opened for commercial operations in 1998, is a vital component of Hong Kong¡¦s economy, serving both tourism and commerce. Its strategic position in Asia has made it an important regional trans-shipment centre, passenger hub and gateway to other Chinese cities.

The airport operates around-the-clock and is capable of handling 45 million passengers and three million tonnes of cargo a year. With the opening of the second runway in May 1999, the airport has been further developed in stages to cater for increasing air traffic demand. At its ultimate design development, HKIA will be able to handle up to 87 million passengers and nine million tonnes of cargo annually.

Administration:

There are some 78 international airlines providing about 5 300 scheduled passenger and all-cargo flights each week between Hong Kong and some 140 destinations worldwide. About 72 per cent of these flights are operated with wide-bodied jets. There are also an average of approximately 31 non-scheduled passenger and cargo flights each week.

The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) is responsible for the provision of air traffic control services, certification of Hong Kong registered aircraft, monitoring of airlines on their compliance with bilateral Air Services Agreements, and the regulation of general civil aviation activities. The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) manages and operates HKIA under an Aerodrome Licence issued by CAD.

Runways and Parking Aprons:

The south and the north runways are both 3 800 metres in length and 60 metres wide enabling them to cater to the next generation of New Large Aircraft (NLA). The south runway has been given a Category II Precision Approach, while the north runway has the higher Category IIIA rating, which allows pilots to land in only 200-metre visibility. The two runways have an ultimate capacity of over 60 aircraft movements an hour.

At present there are 49 frontal stands, 28 remote stands and 25 cargo stands. Five parking bays at the Northwest Concourse are already capable of accommodating the arrivals of the next generation of NLA.

Passenger Facilities:

The airport is one of the most accessible in operation today. Despite its size, the passenger terminal is designed for maximum convenience. A simple layout and effective signage, moving walkways and the automated people mover allow quick and easy movement throughout the building. Facilities for the disabled are in keeping with world requirements. The airport is also served by a complete transport system operational from the very beginning. The fully integrated ground transportation centre was designed together with the passenger terminal. It provides immediate access to and from the airport express train as well as other public transport services such as buses, coaches, hotel limousines and taxis.

Baggage and Ramp Handling:

Quality ramp handling services are provided by Hong Kong Airport Services Limited, Jardine Air Terminal Services Limited, and Menzies Aviation Group (Hong Kong) Limited. Their services include handling of mail and passenger baggage, transportation of cargo, aerobridge operations and the operation of passenger stairways. The airport has an advanced baggage handling system (BHS), the main section of which is located in the basement level of the passenger terminal, and a separate remote transfer facility at the western end of the main concourse for handling of tight connection transfer bags. The BHS processes departure, arrival and transfer bags and utilises a conveyor of more than 24 kilometres long. Bar coding scanners read the standard International Air Transport Association (IATA) baggage labels and route bags to their destinations. Majority of the arrival bags are conveyed to 12 reclaim carousels within 20 minutes from aircraft landing.

Air Cargo:

HKIA is capable of handling three million tonnes of cargo annually. Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited operates one of the two air cargo terminals at the airport. Its headquarters, the 270 000-square metres SuperTerminal 1, is the world¡¦s largest stand-alone air cargo handling facility, with a designed capacity of 2.6 million tonnes of freight a year. The second air cargo terminal is operated by Asia Airfreight Terminal Company Limited, and currently has a capacity of 0.4 million tonnes a year. It is envisaged that HKIA¡¦s total air cargo capacity per annum will reach nine million tonnes ultimately.

Aircraft Maintenance Services:

Both line and base maintenance services are undertaken by Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO), while China Aircraft Services Limited and Pan Asia Pacific Aviation Services Limited carry out line maintenance.

Line maintenance services include routine servicing of aircraft performed during normal turnaround periods and regularly scheduled layover periods. Base maintenance covers all airframe maintenance services and, for this, HAECO has a three-bay hangar, which can accommodate up to three B747-400 aircraft and two A320 aircraft, with an adjoining support workshop.

Air Traffic Control Services :

The Air Traffic Control Complex (ATCX), located at the centre of the airfield, is the nerve centre of the entire air traffic control system. Some 330 air traffic controllers and supporting staff work around-the-clock to provide air traffic control services for the safe and efficient flow of aircraft movements within the Hong Kong Flight Information Region (FIR). At the Air Traffic Control Tower, controllers provide 24-hour aerodrome control services to aircraft operating at the airport.

A Backup Air Traffic Control Centre/Tower constructed to the north of the ATCX is available for operational use in the event normal services provided in the ATCX are disrupted by unforeseen circumstances. Apart from serving as an operational backup, the facilities are also used for air traffic control training.

Satellite-based Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Systems:

To comply with the Global Implementation Plan, CAD plans to introduce the Satellite-based Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Systems to enhance flight safety and efficiency as well as to maintain Hong Kong¡¦s status as a centre of international and regional aviation. The project will take 15 years and owing to the complexities involved, extensive studies and trials are being conducted before the new technologies are to be fully adopted. Currently part of new services including Digital-Automatic Terminal Information Service (D-ATIS), Digital-Meteorological Information for Aircraft in Flight (D-VOLMET) and delivery of Pre-Departure Clearance (PDC) over data links is provided at HKIA to enhance the operational efficiency of both pilots and air traffic controllers. An Air Traffic Control Fast Time Simulation System was commissioned to facilitate the comprehensive assessment and evaluation of new flight procedures being designed in light of increasing traffic demand and technological developments.

Weather Services for Aviation :

The Airport Meteorological Office (AMO) of the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) provides weather services for the aviation community in accordance with the standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The AMO makes routine and special weather observations and provides fixed-time aerodrome forecasts and landing forecasts for the HKIA. It issues aerodrome warnings on adverse weather for protection of aerodrome facilities and aircraft on the ground. It also issues significant weather information on thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, turbulence, icing, and other hazardous weather which may affect aviation safety in the area within which Hong Kong is responsible for the provision of air traffic services. To enhance the safety of aircraft landing and taking off from HKIA, the AMO issues alerts of low-level windshear and turbulence. For service delivery, the HKO operates a web-based information service through which airline companies can retrieve the latest meteorological information and flight documentation including weather forecasts for departure, destination and alternate aerodromes, forecast charts of en-route significant weather, wind and temperature data, as well as weather radar and satellite images.

Rescue and Fire Fighting Services:

Such services within the airport are covered by the Airport Fire Contingent of the Fire Services Department. The contingent has a strength of 282 uniformed members, operating two fire stations and two rescue berths for 24-hour emergency calls. It is equipped with 14 fire appliances which can respond to incidents within two minutes in optimum conditions of visibility and surface conditions, satisfying the relevant recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Two high capacity rescue boats, supported by eight speed boats, form the core of sea rescue operations.

Development at the Airport :

Airport business is the management of flow: the flow of passengers, cargo and information. To sustain the growth of flows, AAHK has formulated a ¡§push and pull through¡¨ strategy to expand its connections to new sources of passengers and cargo. This means improving the network to the rapidly-growing markets in Mainland China and in particular to the Pearl River Delta region (PRD). This year has marked a major improvement in connection to the PRD region: the opening of a new Airport-Mainland Coach Station as well as the SkyPier airport ferry terminal. The coach station features a 230 square metres waiting lounge and sheltered bays for 10 coaches. Dedicated coach terminal provides a comfortable environment for passengers travelling between HKIA and different cities in PRD. Some 200 coach trips are made every day to link HKIA with 40 towns and cities in the PRD. Calling at smaller towns to optimise each route, the coaches ¡V which pass through border immigration and customs checks ¡V carried a total of 1.3 million passengers in 2004.

HKIA¡¦s network to the Mainland is also further strengthened by the opening of SkyPier in late September 2003, offering millions in the PRD direct access to the airport. Passengers coming to SkyPier by high-speed ferries will board bonded buses for onward flights while arriving air passengers can board ferries at the pier for their journeys back to PRD. Passengers of both directions can bypass custom and immigration formalities which cut by up to half the current four hours transit time. To further streamline the traveling process at the border, AAHK joined hands with Cathay Pacific Airways Limited and Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Limited to launch up stream check-in service at Shekou for sea-air passengers. Passengers can obtain their boarding pass and receive a guaranteed acceptance of carriage by the carriers before arriving at HKIA. Skypier currently connecting five PRD ports, namely: Zhongshan, Macau, Dongguan, Shekou and Fuyong. To further enhance cross-boundary ferry services between Hong Kong International Airport and the Pearl River Delta, both sides agreed to launch a new route to Shunde in near future. The provision of cross-boundary coach and ferry services has transformed HKIA into a truly inter-modal transportation hub combining air, sea and land transport. These are also significant steps forward in AAHK¡¦s integration with the Mainland Chinese market.

Air Services :

The operation of scheduled air services to and from Hong Kong are facilitated by Air Services Agreements between Hong Kong and its aviation partners. Since the opening of HKIA, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has firmly and proactively implemented a policy of progressive liberalisation of air services to promote consumer choice and competition and to provide airlines of Hong Kong and its aviation partners with opportunities for service expansion.

Commercial Aviation, Recreational Flying and the Government Flying Service :

Cathay Pacific Airways Limited operates 21 B747, 16 B777, 26 A330, 18 A340 (including three A340-600) aircraft and 13 B747 freighters providing scheduled services throughout Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Europe, South Africa and North America. Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Limited operates 12 A330, 11 A320, six A321 aircraft and four B747 freighters to provide scheduled passenger services in the region, and scheduled all-cargo services to Shanghai, Xiamen, Nanjing, Taiwan, Japan, the Middle East, Europe and the United States. Air Hong Kong Limited operates scheduled all-cargo services with six A300-600 freighters between Hong Kong and Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. CR Airways Limited operates two CRJ-200 aircraft and one CRJ 700 aircraft for scheduled services from Hong Kong to Haikou, Sanya, Jinan, Nanning and Laoag. Metrojet Limited operates three G200 aircraft for non-scheduled passenger services in the region. Hong Kong Express Airways Limited (formerly known as Helicopters Hong Kong Limited) operates two S76 and two AS350B helicopters for local passenger charters and aerial works, and for passenger charters between Hong Kong and Macau. It also operates one ERJ170 aircraft for scheduled passenger services to Guangzhou. Heliservices (Hong Kong) Limited operates three SA315B, one AS355N and one MD500E helicopters for local passenger charters and aerial works. Jet Aviation Business Jets (Hong Kong) Limited operates one BD700 aircraft for non-scheduled passenger services in the region. Visions Balloons Limited was granted an Air Operator¡¦s Certificate in March 2003.and it now operates two hot air balloons for local tethered flights.

The Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre (BAC) is located within the confines of the airport and has its own terminal and facilities. It provides a full range of services for executive aircraft and passengers, including ground handling, baggage handling, fuelling, security and flight planning. Designated spaces are also provided at the BAC for private aircraft.

Recreational flying in Hong Kong is catered for by the Hong Kong Aviation Club, which undertakes flying training for private pilots and provides facilities for private owners.

The Government Flying Service provides short and long range search and rescue services, police support, medical evacuation and general purpose flights for the Government. The fleet comprises three AS332, four EC155 helicopters and two J-41 aircraft.

The Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre (BAC) is located within the confines of the airport and has its own terminal and facilities. It provides a full range of services for executive aircraft and passengers, including ground handling, baggage handling, fuelling, security and flight planning. Designated spaces are also provided at the BAC for private aircraft.

Recreational flying in Hong Kong is catered for by the Hong Kong Aviation Club, which undertakes flying training for private pilots and provides facilities for private owners.

The Government Flying Service provides short and long range search and rescue services, police support, medical evacuation and general purpose flights for the Government. The fleet comprises three Eurocopter Super Puma AS332L2, four Eurocopter EC155B1 helicopters and two Jetstream J-41 aircraft.

 

The information is adopted from Hong Kong Facts (October 2005) at http://www.info.gov.hk/hkfacts/civilavi.pdf