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COMMUNICATIONS
More than 350 scheduled services to all parts of the world are provided each week by 27 international airlines in addition to many charter and non-scheduled flights. A total of 1,895,105 passengers passed through the Terminal Building during the year and passen- gers, freight and mail figures showed an increase over last year of 31.4 per cent, 39.6 per cent and 8.8 per cent respectively.
Hong Kong International Airport at Kai Tak is a major airport of modern design situated only three miles from the busy hotel and commercial centre of Kowloon. Facilities offered by Kai Tak for operators, passengers and cargo are second to none in the Orient. Full operational services are provided, including Air Traffic Control, Communications, Air/Sea Rescue, Airport Fire Crash and Rescue Service, Aeronautical Information Service, and, in conjunction with the Royal Observatory, an Aeronautical Meteorological Service.
Route expansion by the airlines now using Kai Tak has continued and more airlines started scheduled services during the year. Hong Kong is achieving a growing importance as a transit and a stop-over point for other Asian destinations and in recognition of increasing use an extensive programme of modifications is now in progress at the airport to convert the Passenger Terminal, built in_1962, from a handling capacity of 720 to 2,200 passengers an hour. In addition to extensive additions to the Terminal Building, mechanical baggage handling and distribution systems are being added and shopping and restaurant facilities are being extended. Improved facilities for speedy handling of rapidly increasing air cargo traffic are also essential; work is well advanced on modifications to the Cargo Terminal designed to double its present capacity, and Con- sultants have been engaged to advise on the type of cargo handling complex required to meet Hong Kong's long-term need. Final decision on extending the 8,350 feet single runway to 11,130 feet, was still to be taken at the end of the year but this did not hold up planning in other areas of operation. Plans are underway to provide 20 aircraft parking bays and two apron taxiways by 1971. Air bridges for the rapid loading and unloading of aircraft up to the size of the Boeing 747 are now being installed and piers are being built to permit nose-in parking of aircraft.
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Airport Terminal operations are assisted by the Hong Kong Air Terminal Services Limited, who provide a centralised system of
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