FRIDAY, Veverider 0, 17141
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EXTENSION OF AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING
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AN EXTENSION OF THE AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING IS TO BE BUILT SHORTLY TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR PASSENGER ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE FACILITIES.
THE EXTENSION, WHICH FORMS PART OF THE STAGE FOUR DEVELOPMENT OF THE KAI TAK TERMINAL BUILDING, CONSISTS OF THREE FLOORS, EACH MEASURING 84,000 SQUARE FEET.
THE GROUND AND FIRST FLOORS WILL BE FOR PASSENGER FACILITIES WHILE THE BASEMENT WILL BE USED AS THE CENTRE OF A BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM.
A FOUR-STOREY OFFICE BLOCK WITH A TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF 52,000 SQUARE FEET WILL ALSO BE BUILT ON TOP OF THE EXTENSION TO THE EAST OF THE EXISTING PASSENGER TERMINAL BUILDING. IT WILL PROVIDE MUCH-NEEDED SPACE FOR AIRLINE COMPANIES AND THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT.
ON COMPLETION, THE AREA OF THE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE HALLS WILL EACH BE INCREASED FROM THE EXISTING 140,000 SQUARE FEET TO 220,000 SQUARE FEET, AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 50 PER CENT.
A NEW SYSTEM FOR HANDLING DEPARTING PASSENGERS BAGGAGE WILL BE INSTALLED IN THE EXTENSION. THE SYSTEM WILL HAVE A HIGH CAPACITY AND WILL REDUCE THE LENGTH OF TIME NEEDED FOR PASSENGER CHECKING. AT THE SAME TIME, THE ARRIVAL BAGGAGE SYSTEM WILL BE DOUBLED IN SIZE AND CAPACITY THEREBY REMOVING THE GREATEST CAUSE OF DELAY FOR ARRIVING PASSENGERS.
TENDERS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE STRUCTURAL SHELL OF THE EXTENSION AND THE OFFICE BLOCK WERE INVITED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY.
COMMENTING ON THE EXTENSION, A CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID: +AT THE PRESENT TIME THE AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING IS HANDLING OVER 1,000 PASSENGERS PER HOUR IN EXCESS OF DESIGNED CAPACITY AT PEAK PERIODS.
+THE NEW DEVELOPMENT IS DESIGNED TO ALLEVIATE THIS CONGESTION AND ALSO TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY TO CATER FOR ANTICIPATED INCREASES IN PASSENGER NUMBERS AT LEAST UNTIL 1980.
WORK ON THE PROJECT, COSTING ABOUT $33 MILLION, IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN NEXT MONTH.
THE WORK, INCLUDING DEMOLITION OF TWO APRON WORKSHOPS, PILING WORK AND THE INSTALLATION OF AN AIR CONDITIONING PLANT AND GENERATORS, WILL TAKE ABOUT 18 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
COPIES OF A PHOTOGRAPH OF A MODEL SHOWING THE NEW EXTENSION AND THE EXISTING AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING WILL BE BOXED SEPARATELY FOR COLLECTION THIS EVENING.
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