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Behind the opening of Hong Kong International Airport: What are the untold stories?
Since its operation in 1998, Hong Kong International Airport has become the world's busiest cargo hub and one of the world's highest passenger airports. However, behind its opening lie the challenges and untold stories that have shaped the aviation hub it is today.
Decision-making process from old airport to new airport
Before the opening of Hong Kong International Airport, the old airport, Kai Tak Airport, could no longer meet the increasing aviation demand. Due to its unique geographical location, Kai Tak Airport not only limits the growth of flights, but also makes surrounding residents suffer from noise pollution. Due to lack of space, many flights are often delayed and diverted. Political and economic reasons prompted the government to consider the construction of a new airport.
In a 1974 planning study, the small island of Chek Lap Kok was identified as a potential alternative site for a future airport.
In 1995, the Hong Kong Government established the Port and Airport Development Strategic Advisory Team to carry out long-term planning for the upcoming aviation demand. After many meetings and discussions, it was finally decided to build a new international airport at Chek Lap Kok. This plan not only solves many problems at Kai Tak Airport, but also paves the way for Hong Kong's economic future.
Challenges in construction
Although construction of the new airport officially started in 1991, the process was fraught with uncertainty as the political capital between Britain and China was handed over. The government tried hard to complete the project before the handover, but still encountered many obstacles. The original plan to complete the project in 1997 was ultimately not met, forcing the opening of the new airport to be postponed until 1998. As one expert put it:
“This was a huge project that would have taken 10 to 20 years to complete, but we were able to accomplish it in just a few years.”
Finally, after a lot of construction and planning, the new airport officially began operations on July 6, 1998.
Difficult opening day
Despite the grand occasion of the official opening, the actual operations on opening day were fraught with challenges. Many technical problems occurred suddenly, causing many flights to be delayed. Lau Kong-wah, a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council at the time, was also very disappointed. He commented:
"This was a first-rate project that turned into a disaster for a third-rate airport."
During the airport's first operation, the cargo connection system failed, causing chaos in port traffic. In the following months, the airport has been challenged by various technical failures, which has also caused the commitment of Hong Kong International Airport to begin to be questioned.
Continuous development and expansion
As supply and demand change, Hong Kong International Airport continues to expand and improve. The opening of Terminal 2 in 2007 not only added new commercial facilities, but also greatly improved the airport's agility. In 2010, the airport once again started the construction of the North Satellite Corridor to further expand its capacity.
The airport's development has not been without controversy, however. Faced with the demonstrations in Hong Kong in 2019, flight permissions and personnel security checks also faced considerable challenges.
Blueprint for the future
Looking to the future, the 2030 Master Plan for Hong Kong International Airport is already on the agenda. With the opening of the third runway and plans to add new facilities, Hong Kong's aviation market will continue to expand. This is not only necessary to facilitate passengers' travel, but also an important part of maintaining Hong Kong's economic vitality.
"Future shipping demands will continue to challenge our capabilities and technologies."
Whether it is the criticized early operational problems or the huge transformation today, the Hong Kong International Airport undoubtedly demonstrates Hong Kong's tenacity and evolving energy in air transportation. It is conceivable how this airport will affect the global aviation industry in the future?
