Transport 261
With the support of the council, the Government continued to provide sites for port back-up and logistics uses in Hong Kong, particularly in the vicinity of container terminals.
Civil Aviation
Hong Kong is a major international and regional aviation centre. Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is one of the busiest in the world. At year-end, there were 85 airlines providing about 5 800 weekly services between Hong Kong and about 150 cities worldwide. In addition, an average of about 142 charter flights was made to and from HKIA each week.
Air Traffic in 2008
The global financial crisis had an adverse impact on air traffic in the last quarter of 2008. As a result, the total number of passengers passing through the airport in 2008 was 47.14 million, a rise of 1.8 per cent over 2007. The airport handled 3.63 million tonnes of cargo, a drop of 3.1 per cent over 2007. The number of flights to and from Hong Kong was 301 142, a rise of 2 per cent over 2007.
Air transport continues to play an important role in Hong Kong's external trade. Hong Kong's total imports, exports and re-exports by air accounted for 38.3 per cent, 32.4 per cent and 32.4 per cent respectively in value terms in 2008.
Home Market Expansion
As a gateway hub of China, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is committed to strengthening the integrated, multi-modal transport network with the Pearl River Delta (PRD). Some 320 coach trips carry passengers between HKIA and 90 PRD cities and towns every day while the SkyPier cross-boundary ferry service connects PRD passengers with international destinations via HKIA. The ferry service now covers six
six PRD ports-Shekou and Fuyong in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Zhuhai and Macao. Passengers can even pre-check their baggage and obtain their boarding passes at Fuyong, Shekou, Macao and Dongguan Humen. A new permanent SkyPier is under construction.
In October, HKIA and Shenzhen International Airport (SZIA) jointly launched the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Airports Link, a service that enables passengers at HKIA or SZIA to check in and obtain boarding passes for connecting flights at either airport. The two airports also provide designated waiting lounges and cross-boundary coaches to take the transfer passengers to the counterpart airport. To foster closer co-operation between the two airports, the governments of HKSAR and Shenzhen are studying a proposal to connect the two airports with a direct rail link.
Airport Services
With the support of the airport community, HKIA is widely recognised for its excellent services and has been voted the world's best airport in 2008 for the seventh time in eight years in the annual Skytrax survey.
HKIA is undergoing a HK$4.5 billion terminal and airfield enhancement programme. Projects under way include the reconfiguration of the North and South