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TRANSPORT
With the ending of the Gulf War, air traffic started to pick up in the latter half of the year, resulting in a moderate annual growth in passenger and cargo throughput at the Hong Kong International Airport at Kai Tak. A total of 19.2 million passengers passed through the terminal, an increase of 2.7 per cent over the total of 18.7 million in the previous year. A total of 852 000 tonnes of cargo, valued at $282,500 million, were handled, compared with 802 000 tonnes of air cargo valued at $259,864 million in 1990. Air transport continued to play an important role in Hong Kong's external trade. Of Hong Kong's total trade in imports, exports and re-exports, air transport took about 18 per cent, 30 per cent and 14 per cent in value terms respectively. The USA remained the major market for exports and re-exports by air, representing 36 per cent and 21 per cent respectively.
In 1991, an increase of 3.7 per cent in aircraft movements was recorded, bringing the annual total to 109 700 of which 77 per cent were wide-bodied aircraft.
(Details of International Movements of Aircraft, Passengers and Cargo, are given at Appendix 37).
Since 1988, the Civil Aviation Department has embarked upon a programme of improvements at Kai Tak Airport to enable it to meet the expected passenger and cargo throughput until the commissioning of the new airport at Chek Lap Kok, currently scheduled for mid-1997. As a consequence of the continuing high growth rate of air traffic, the works programme has been 'fast-tracked' with the target completion date now brought - forward to the end of 1993 instead of the original date of 1995.
The refurbishment of the older part of the passenger terminal building started in 1990 and is expected to be completed by mid-1992. The work involves renewing building finishes, improving air-conditioning and refurbishing the check-in islands and departure baggage system. One important element of the work completed early in 1991 was the improvement to the public Arrivals Hall. The area was enlarged and the exit ramp widened, giving arriving air passengers more room, and enabling them to be more easily seen by greeters. The new facility was brought into use in time for Chinese New Year.
In order to streamline departure passenger processing, four Express Check-in Desks were provided for use by passengers with no check-in baggage. Work on the installation of an electronic Check-in Information Display System for each check-in position started in the middle of the year. The system, when fully commissioned in mid-1992, will further improve the flexibility of allocating check-in desks.
Despite the general world recession, air traffic at the Hong Kong International Airport continues to grow. The number of interline passengers transferring through Hong Kong increased significantly during 1991, particularly passengers from Taiwan transferring to flights to the People's Republic of China. In order to handle this traffic, a third Airline Passenger Transfer Desk was brought into operation.
During the year, several projects to increase aircraft parking capacity at the airport were completed. An airport depot was completed in October which houses aircraft recovery equipment and provides additional office and storage space for the Apron Control Section of the Civil Aviation Department; an additional taxiway bridge connecting the east apron and the main aircraft parking area was opened for use in November. Work is underway to provide four additional parking bays for B747-sized aircraft. They will be equipped with fixed ground power, refuelling facilities and floodlighting and all are expected to be completed by September 1992. Work has also begun to develop a further 11 parking bays for wide-bodied aircraft. These are due to be completed by the end of 1993.