Operating costs have remained at a high level and have even in some respects increased, and although traffic has become heavier even than before it has not been possible to reduce the fares for fare-paying passengers. Season tickets, however be- came available once more on the Star Ferry route.
Air Services.
Hong Kong is a most important link in the network of post-war aviation. Saigon is 5 hours flying distance away and Singapore can be reached in 9 hours flying time on the direct route. Only four hours away lies Nanking, Manila little more, and Japan can be reached in one stage by flying boat in 9 hours. The regular weekly flying boat service to the United Kingdom now takes 5 days instead of the 6 which were formerly required. It is possible to reach Europe in 3 days by a Norwegian Airline operating a land plane service approximately three times each month. The Colony is connected with the Chinese airports of Shanghai, Nanking, Chungking, Kunming, Hainan Island and with Canton, which is only 40 minutes flying time from the Colony.
The Colony's only airfield, Kai Tak, is situated to the north- east of Kowloon and 15 minutes drive from Kowloon's main hotel. Situated as it is, close under a range of steep hills rising at one point to a height of 1800 feet, it is an airfield which by modern standards, indeed, by any standards, leaves much to be desired. Although the Japanese during their occupation of the Colony considerably increased the area of the aerodrome, doubling its size at the expense of adjacent Chinese houses and fields, and of the former civil airport buildings and hangars, the aerodrome remains inadequate for heavy aircraft, (although modern four-engined aircraft use it regularly) and its short- comings were emphasised by the aeronautical developments which had taken place during the late war. The greatest importance is attached to providing the Colony with a airport adequate to meet its needs which will conform with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
In the meantime the existing facilities of Kai Tak for the handling of passengers have been much improved by the con- struction of a temporary building to house waiting rooms, restaurant and facilities for immigration, customs and health inspections, while the facilities for aircraft were ameliorated by the construction of hardstanding and the installation of additional navigational aids. Owing to the difficult approaches, the airfield is not open at night but emergency lighting is installed and has twice been successfully used during the year under review.
The traffic passing through the airport has increased by leaps and bounds. Thirteen Airline companies now use Kai Tak as a regular calling point on their routes. 5,486 aircraft move- ments were recorded during the year and 81,815 passengers were carried. Particularly impressive is the fact that mail and freight conveyed through the airport during 1947 was 1,036 tons com-
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