Hong Kong’s airport extension project to debut in November, expand aviation network: officials

Hong Kong’s three-runway system is scheduled to debut by November upon acquiring licenses and completing the final round of tests, according to the authority managing the airport.

The Transport and Logistics Bureau officials also said on Tuesday they would expand Hong Kong’s aviation network to fill new capacity arising from the system, revealing that eight airlines would launch 11 new routes in the city under the subsidy scheme by the Airport Authority.

The authority’s executive director Steven Yiu Siu-chung told lawmakers that the final crucial task was to designate the third-runway system as a restricted zone and obtain the licence from the Civil Aviation Department.

“Obtaining the licence is like taking an exam with 900 aspects to pass, including meeting the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation,” Yiu said.

“We need to provide blueprints, test records and conduct on-site coordination with the Civil Aviation Department and then obtain the licence hopefully in mid-November.

“We then need to test the Civil Aviation Department’s landing system using an aircraft, stimulating taxiing on the taxiway or runway.”