Hong Kong to compete with third runway

Hong Kong to compete with third runway
By Hannah Edensor


Hong Kong is showing its competitive streak, gearing up to build a third runway.

In a bid to keep up with the Joneses, and to prove itself as a major aviation hub, Hong Kong is pumping HK$141.5 billion – or AU$23.8 billion – into the project, which has been endorsed by the government.

The infrastructure venture at Hong Kong International Airport will require the reclamation of 650 hectares of land, with construction to kick off as early as next year.

Apart from the runway, additional taxiways, ramps, passenger transport and luggage processing facilities will be built. Terminal 2 will also be stretched to accommodate the additional traffic.

Hong Kong International Aiport - Third Runway Concourse Arrival Hall

Hong Kong International Aiport – Third Runway Concourse Arrival Hall

Airport Authority Hong Kong’s chairman Vincent Lo Hong-sui said expanding into a three-runway system will be a huge booster for the region.

“It will consolidate our city’s status as an international and regional aviation hub, spur economic development and create hundreds of thousands of jobs. This is a project for Hong Kong, and we are committed to taking it forward,” he said.

Hong Kong Secretary for Transport and Housing Prof Anthony Cheung also added that the third runway was an inevitable part of the plan, as the current two-runway system slowly clogs up.

Prof Cheung said the Hong Kong Government will work with Mainland and Macau aviation authorities to implement an airspace enhancement plan, so the three runway system can meet its target of accommodating 102 flights an hour.

An overview of the project can be found here.

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