MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1981
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NEW FACILITIES AT KAI TAK AIRPORT
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VISITORS WILL FIND THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MUCH MORE SPACIOUS WHEN A LARGE AREA IN THE OLD ARRIVALS HALL OF THE PASSENGER TERMINAL IS REOPENED ON WEDNESDAY (MARCH 4).
NEW FACILITIES WILL INCLUDE A FOURTH BAGGAGE RECLAIM LOOP, AN EXTENSION TO THE RESTRICTED PASSENGER BUFFER HALL AND ADDITIONAL CUSTOMS SEARCH BENCHES.
THE RENOVATED AREA IN THE ARRIVALS HALL WILL EXTEND THE PUBLIC GREETING AREA BY ABOUT 50 PER CENT AND THE PASSENGER BUFFER HALL,
WITH THE NEW EXTENSION, WILL BE ABOUT TWICE ITS FORMER SIZE. GLASS AUTO-DOORS AT THE EXITS WILL ENABLE GREETERS TO SEE PASSENGERS COMING OUT FROM THE RESTRICTED AREA.
THE FOURTH BAGGAGE RECLAIM LOOP -- THE LAST TO BE INSTALLED IN THE CURRENT PHASE OF AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT - CAN HANDLE ABOUT 1 000 BAGS AN HOUR (OR THE EQUIVALENT TO THE PROCESSING RATE FOR PASSENGER BAGGAGE OF THREE JUMBO JETS).
SIMILAR TO THE THREE EXISTING LOOPS, BAGGAGE OF ARRIVING PASSENGERS WILL BE FED BY TWO INDUCTION BELTS ON TO AN INCLINED 'RACE TRACK' CONVEYOR FOR PASSENGERS TO PICK UP. JAM DETECTION DEVICES ARE PROVIDED TO ENSURE RAPID ATTENTION OF THE BAGGAGE HANDLING STAFF.
SEVEN MORE CUSTOMS CONTROL POSITIONS WILL ALSO BE BROUGHT INTO USE TO SPEED UP THE FLOW OF ARRIVING PASSENGERS.
THE FOURTH STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE AIRPORT WILL BE COMPLETED TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN A FOURTH CHECK-IN COUNTER WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE DEPARTURE HALL OF THE BUILDING.
TEXTILE DISCUSSIONS WITH SWEDEN RESUME TOMORROW
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TEXTILE CONSULTATIONS WITH SWEDEN WILL RESUME IN GENEVA
TOMORROW (TUESDAY).
THE TALKS WILL COVER POSSIBLE ARRANGEMENTS TO SUCCEED THE CURRENT TWO-YEAR RESTRAINT AGREEMENT BETWEEN SWEDEN AND HONG KONG WHICH IS DUE TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. THE FIRST ROUND OF TALKS WAS ADJOURNED AFTER THREE DAYS' DISCUSSION IN HONG KONG IN JANUARY.
THE HONG KONG DELEGATION IS LED BY COMMISSIONER OF TRADE, MR PETER TSAO AND THE SWEDISH DELEGATION IS HEADED BY MR CURT WIIK, DIRECTOR, SWEDISH MINISTRIES FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND COMMERCE.
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