XN000022-1992-10-21 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1992

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INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF EXTRA AIR SERVICES OVER

CHINESE NEW YEAR AGREED

*

THAT

THE HONG KONG AIRPORT SCHEDULE CO-ORDINATOR HAS ASSESSED OVER THE COMING CHINESE NEW YEAR PERIOD, ONLY AROUND 360 APPLICATIONS TO RUN EXTRA SERVICES BY AIRLINES AT THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OUT OF A TOTAL OF 794 APPLICATIONS COULD BE ACCOMMODATED.

THIS FOLLOWED A NUMBER OF MEETINGS BETWEEN THE SCHEDULE CO-ORDINATOR AND AIRLINE REPRESENTATIVES WHO HAVE APPROACHED THE PROBLEM IN A SPIRIT

CO-OPERATION WITH THE AIM OF AVOIDING

OF

INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC.

A CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY (WEDNESDAY} SAID THE SHORTAGE OF CAPACITY AT KAI TAK WAS DUE TO THE INCREASE IN REGULAR SCHEDULED SERVICES.

"DURING LAST CHINESE NEW YEAR, THERE WERE AROUND 4,400 REGULAR SERVICES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

"THE NUMBER FOR THE COMING CHINESE NEW YEAR PERIOD IS 4,900 OR AN INCREASE OF 12 PER CENT."

UNUSED

HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS HAD GREATLY REDUCED THE CAPACITY AVAILABLE FOR EXTRA SERVICES, SUCH AS AD HOC CHARTER OPERATIONS.

AS A RESULT, ONLY AROUND 360 APPLICATIONS COULD BE INITIALLY JANUARY 19 TO ALLOCATED WITH SLOTS TO OPERATE EXTRA SERVICES DURING FEBRUARY 1, 1993 WHEN THE CHINESE NEW YEAR PERIOD FALLS.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE SCHEDULE CO-ORDINATION PROCESS, UNDER WHICH CAPACITY IS ALLOCATED, IS CARRIED OUT BY THE HONG KONG SCHEDULE CO-ORDINATOR ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT, FOLLOWING AS FAR AS IS PRACTICABLE INTERNATIONALLY

ACCEPTED PRACTICES.

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SUBJECT TO THE PARAMOUNT CONSIDERATION OF SAFETY, THE BASIC AIM OF THE POLICY IS TO MAKE FAIR AND OPTIMAL USE OF RUNWAY CAPACITY, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE DEPARTMENT WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT ALL

MINIMISE AIRLINES CONCERNED HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO

THE EFFECTS OF THE PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE SHORTAGE OF CAPACITY.

THE SYSTEM HAS SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THAT AIRLINES MAY NEGOTIATE EXCHANGE OF ALLOCATED CAPACITY FOLLOWING THE

INITIAL

ALLOCATION,

HE

ADDED.

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