TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1978
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TURNING TO THE NEED FOR THE GOVERNMENT RATHER THAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO OPERATE SUCH A SCHEME, MR. SWEETMAN EXPLAINED: +IF WE ARE TO PROVIDE FUTURE BENEFITS AT A REALISTIC LEVEL, TYING THEM TO FUTURE CURRENT EARNINGS, WHILE ACCEPTING COMPARATIVELY LOW RATES OF CONTRIBUTION IN EARLIER YEARS, IT WOULD BE ASKING TOO MUCH OF ANY PRIVATE INSURER AND WE NEED THE GOVERNMENT TO UNDERWRITE THESE FUTURE CONTINGENCIES, PARTICULARLY TO PROTECT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION,
ON PUBLIC REACTION TO THE SCHEME RECEIVED SO FAR, MR. SWEETMAN SAID THAT A MOST CONVINCING VOLUME OF COMMENT ON THE PROPOSALS HAD GIVEN SUPPORT TO THE VIEW THAT FOR SUCCESS IT MUST BE COMPULSORY, BUT HE ADDED THAT THIS WAS A POINT WHICH HAS YET TO BE ARGUED OUT AND DECIDED UPON.
MORE PASSENGER PROCESSING FACILITIES AT AIRPORT
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ADDITIONAL PASSENGER PROCESSING FACILITIES WILL BE BROUGHT INTO USE AT HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) WITH THE COMPLETION OF ANOTHER STAGE OF THE AIRPORT'S DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.
THESE WILL INCLUDE LARGER AREAS AT THE AIRSIDE AT BOTH THE DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL LEVELS, ADDITIONAL IMMIGRATION CONTROL COUNTERS AND A SECOND BAGGAGE RECLAIM DISTRIBUTOR.
AT DEPARTURE LEVEL, THE WAITING AREA HAS BEEN
EXTENDED, INCORPORATING A LARGER AND MORE SPACIOUS CONCESSION AND SEATING AREA.
MORE DEPARTURE PASSPORT CONTROL DESKS HAVE ALSO BEEN PROVIDED TO IMPROVE PASSENGER FLOW DURING PEAK PERIODS.
THE NEW AIRS IDE EXTENSION WILL FULLY COMPLEMENT THE LANDS IDE EXTENSION AREA WHICH WAS OPENED LAST AUGUST TO PROVIDE IMPROVED FACILITIES FOR DEPARTING PASSENGERS AT THE AIRPORT.
AT ARRIVAL LEVEL, THE SECOND BAGGAGE RECLAIM DISTRIBUTOR, SIMILIAR TO THE ONE WHICH BECAME OPERATIONAL LAST SEPTEMBER, HAS AN AUTOMATIC FEED AND WILL SHORTEN THE TIME ARRIVING PASSENGERS HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE IR BAGGAGE.
MORE IMMIGRATION DESKS HAVE ALSO BEEN PROVIDED TO ENABLE SPEED IER ARRIVAL CLEARANCE.
AS FOR TRANSIT PASSENGERS AN ESCALATOR WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WISHING TO USE THE NEW DEPARTURE LOUNGE EXTENSION.
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