SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1978
BIG IMPROVEMENTS UNDERWAY AT KAI TAK AIRPORT
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TRAVELLERS TO AND FROM HONG KONG WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE, IN FUTURE, MORE FREELY AND SPEEDILY THROUGH KAI TAK AIRPORT BECAUSE OF NEW FACILITIES BEING PROVIDED.
MANY OF THESE FACILITIES ARE BEING INSTALLED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE VARIOUS TERMINAL BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS TAKING PLACE.
THE LATEST EXPANSION WORK BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN TO MEET THE ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN PASSENGER GOODS VOLUME IN THE EARLY 1980S AND TO PROVIDE MORE ROOM FOR ADDITIONAL AMENITIES WITHIN THE AIRPORT.
TENDERS HAVE BEEN CALLED FOR A NEW CHECK-IN AREA, MODERNISING OF THE DEPARTURE AREA, FITTING OUT OF THE NEW ARRIVAL HALL, AND INSTALLATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITY FACILITIES AT THE AIRPORT. THE EXISTING BUFFER HALL WILL BE EXTENDED TO THE WEST. THE NEW ARRIVAL HALL, AT PRESENT NEARING COMPLETION, WILL BE FITTED OUT, AND THE EXISTING ARRIVAL HALL REFURBISHED TO MAKE AN ENLARGED ARRIVAL HALL. A NEW SNACK BAR WILL ALSO BE BUILT.
THE WORK ON THE DEPARTURE LEVEL WILL INCLUDE MODERNISATION OF THE EXISTING WAITING AREA ON THE TARMAC SIDE AND THE INSTALLATION OF NEW, BULLET-PROOF, SECURITY FACILITIES.
TO MINIMISE DISRUPTION OF NORMAL AIRPORT OPERATIONS, ALL THESE WORKS ARE BEING PHASED OVER THREE YEARS.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT OF AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT BEING UNDERTAKEN IS THE IMPROVEMENT IN BAGGAGE HANDLING FACILITIES.
THE LABOUR INTENSIVE TROLLEY CONVEYORS OF YESTERYEARS ARE BEING REPLACED WITH NEW FACILITIES IN PHASE WITH THE VARIOUS STAGES OF AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT.
IN THE SUMMER OF 1977, A SEMI-AUTOMATIC BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM WHICH MAKES USE OF A COMPUTER, WAS COMMISSIONED AND PUT INTO OPERATION AS THE FIRST PHASE OF THE NEW TERMINAL BUILDING EXTENSION WAS COMPLETED.
IN THIS SYSTEM, ITEMS ARE CHECKED-IN ON TWO + ISLANDS+ IN THE DEPARTURE HALL AND EACH OF THE ISLANDS HAS 24 AIRLINE AGENT COUNTERS CAPABLE OF HANDLING UP TO A PEAK RATE OF 3,500 BAGS AN HOUR. A CONVEYOR NETWORK TAKES THE BAGGAGE TO THE MARSHALLING AREA IN THE BASEMENT. IN THE MARSHALLING AREA, BY MEANS OF COMPUTERISED CONTROL, ITEMS OF BAGGAGE ARE CODED BY THE OPERATOR AND AUTOMATICALLY SORTED TO THE IR APPROPRIATE LOADING BAYS WHERE THEY ARE LOADED INTO CONTAINERS.
TWO MORE ISLANDS AND A GROUP HANDLING SYSTEM ARE BEING DESIGNED FOR HANDLING DEPARTURE PASSENGERS' BAGGAGE, WHEN THEY ARE
INSTALLED THE TOTAL BAGGAGE HANDLING CAPACITY IN THE DEPARTURE AREAS WILL BE INCREASED UP TO ABOUT 7,000 ITEMS AN HOUR.
/ONCE THE TWO