ENG-1983 — Page 223

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TRANSPORT

At the end of the year, there were 30 airlines operating about 1 000 scheduled services a week to and from Hong Kong linking it directly to 65 major world cities, with non-stop services to 42 of these. The air services network covered the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Canada, China, South Africa, India, the Middle East, Australasia and Asia. Seven other airlines operated about 16 non-scheduled services in and out of Hong Kong each week.

There were fewer international aircraft movements during the year. Some 54 300 incoming and outgoing flights were recorded, representing a drop of 0.6 per cent compared with the preceding year. Over 80 per cent of the aircraft calling at Hong Kong International Airport were wide-bodied types, indicating the continued trend by airlines towards the larger aircraft.

During the year, Air Nauru ceased to operate to Hong Kong from Nauru. Gulf Air suspended its scheduled services and in lieu Cathay Pacific Airways operated weekly joint services with Gulf Air between Hong Kong and Bombay using Gulf Air Lockheed-1011 aircraft. Cathay Pacific Airways also commenced twice-weekly services direct to Vancouver, added one more service each week to London via Bahrain and introduced a non-stop service from London to Hong Kong. United Airlines commenced daily services to Hong Kong from Seattle and New York. Direct services to Hong Kong from Philadelphia, Minneapolis and Detroit were introduced by Northwest Orient Airlines during the year. The first Boeing-767 service to Hong Kong was operated by China Airlines.

The process of improving and upgrading facilities at Hong Kong International Airport continued throughout the year following the completion of the four-stage development programme for the passenger terminal. The western half of the airport multi-storey car park was completed and opened in March and work was in hand late in the year to extend the cargo apron to tie in with the expansion of the air cargo terminal by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited. The air traffic control system was enhanced by the installation of new radio navigation equipment on Tung Lung Island which became operational at the end of the year.

The replacement airport studies related to Chek Lap Kok were completed early in the year. The project was, however, shelved for financial reasons and further consideration of a replacement airport for Hong Kong will be in the context of long-term development strategy.

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As a result, increased emphasis and urgency has been placed on the long-term development of Hong Kong International Airport to realise its ultimate capacity. The planning of further development is now well advanced. This will consist of an extension of the passenger terminal to the east providing additional space and facilities for both departing and arriving passengers. The extended building will have a capacity for about 18 million passengers each year and so meet the projected demand for processing facilities until the early 1990s. Construction is scheduled to start late in 1984 with completion in mid-1987. In addition to this phase of development, other facilities, including landside surface access roads, aircraft parking aprons and taxiways, will also be significantly expanded or improved.