XN000022-1980-01-24 — Page 8

THURSDAY,

JANUARY 24, 1980

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TWO MORE JUMBO JET PIERS AT AIRPORT

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+TWO NEW PARKING BAYS WITH PIERS AND AEROBRIDGES WILL COME INTO OPERATION WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO ACCOMMODATE WIDE-BODIED AIRCRAFT CALLING AT HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.+

THESE AIRCRAFT PARKING BAYS ARE ALONGSIDE THE SIX EXISTING INNER BAYS AND THE NEW PIERS ARE MADE AVAILABLE BY EXTENDING THE LINE OF EXISTING PASSENGER BOARDING PIERS WESTWARD BY ABOUT 120 METRES.

THESE WILL BRING TO EIGHT, THE NUMBER OF INNER AIRCRAFT PARKING BAYS WITH PIERS AND AEROBRIDGES AT KAI TAK,

AEROBRIDGES AT KAI TAK, IN ADDITION THERE ARE 24 OUTER BAYS.

AN ASSOCIATED BUS DOCK FOR TRANSFER VEHICLES TO FERRY PASSENGERS BETWEEN AN AIRCRAFT AT AN OUTER BAY AND THE PASSENGER TERMINAL WILL ALSO BE BROUGHT INTO USE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AIRPORT MANAGEMENT SAID THAT PASSENGERS WOULD FIND IT MORE CONVENIENT TO BOARD OR DISEMBARK AIRCRAFT AT THESE NEW INNER BAYS BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL ANY GREAT DISTANCE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT AND THE TERMINAL BY VEHICLE.

+FROM MANAGEMENT POINT OF VIEW, IT IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE TO PROVIDE MORE INNER BAYS FOR WIDE-BODIED JETS TO ENHANCE AIRPORT OPERATION EFFICIENCY.

+SUCH AIRCRAFT CARRY OVER 300 PASSENGERS EACH AND IT WOULD TAKE TIME IF THE PASSENGERS HAVE TO USE AN AIRPORT COACH TO GO TO OR FROM THE PLANE SIDE FOR BOARDING OR DISEMBARKATION, HE EXPLAINED.

THE NEW PARKING BAYS AND PIERS WERE BUILT UNDER THE AIRPORT'S LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME,

EARLIER THIS MONTH, LARGE EXTENSIONS ON BOTH THE DEPARTURES AND ARRIVALS LEVELS TOGETHER WITH A THIRD BAGGAGE RECLAIM UNIT AND A GROUP BAGGAGE CONVEYING SYSTEM WERE BROUGHT INTO USE UNDER THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.

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