TNAG-0841-FCO40-1050-Visit-of-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-Chi-1979 — Page 199

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CONFIDENTIAL

(c) Air Transport Movements

Air transport movements in 1978 totalled

52.642. This represents an increase of 5.2% over the previous calendar year. This is significant because it is the first time in four

years that there has been a positive growth in air transport movements. Future growth will depend largely upon how the airlines phase the introduction of high capacity passenger aircraft. In the short term there is no difficulty over accommodating additional Chinese traffic, particularly if they can be phased over the off-

peak periods. However, there are some constraints caused by air traffic control problems. First, the Chinese use quite different air traffic

procedures from Hong Kong and this difference reduces the available capacity of the existing air routes. Secondly, there is a problem of language. The Chinese air traffic controllers have difficulty with Mandarin and are not familiar with Chinese air traffic control terminology, even if they are expressed in Cantonese. It is hoped that meetings with the Chinese can resolve these

problems.

From 1983 onwards, Kai Tak is expected to reach capacity during peak periods. Traffic from China, along with traffic from elsewhere, would then be subjected to increasing restrictions. Chinese traffic would probably feel the restrictions more because in allocating limited capacity it would be reasonable to grant priority to long haul inter-continental traffic rather than short haul

regional traffic.

CONFIDENTIAL

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