ENG-2017 — Page 286

14

Transport

agreements with Spain and Israel respectively, and initialled an updated air services agreement with Brazil. Of the 70 or so countries along the Belt and Road corridors, Hong Kong has signed air services agreements or international air transit arrangements with 42 countries. The government will continue to discuss with other countries along the Belt and Road and other aviation partners with a view to initiating new air services agreements and expanding existing arrangements.

During the year, the Air Transport Licensing Authority approved variations to the licences of Cathay Pacific Airways and Hong Kong Express Airways to add new routes, granted a licence to Hong Kong Air Cargo Carrier and renewed the licences of Sky Shuttle Helicopters, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways.

In 2017, Cathay Pacific Airways operated direct services to 81 destinations worldwide, while Hong Kong Dragon Airlines operated direct services to 47 destinations in Asia, including 21 Mainland cities. Air Hong Kong operated direct all-cargo services to 12 destinations in Asia. Hong Kong Airlines operated direct services to 45 destinations worldwide. Hong Kong Express. Airways, the only local low-cost carrier, operated direct services to 32 destinations in Asia and the US (Saipan). Hong Kong Air Cargo Carrier, a new local airline, started scheduled services in December and operated direct services to four destinations in Asia. All the local airlines combined had a fleet of 280 aircraft.

Six non-Hong Kong airlines launched new scheduled passenger services to Hong Kong: Air Japan launched services from Tokyo in June, Virgin Australia operated services from Melbourne from July, Air Seoul started services from Seoul while Cambodia Angkor Air and JC (Cambodia) International Airlines commenced services from Siem Reap and Phnom Penh in October, and Lanmei Airlines began services from Phnom Penh in November.

As regards all-cargo services launched by non-Hong Kong airlines, Air Cargo Global started services from Prague in July, CargoLogicAir commenced services from London in September, Western Global Airlines began services from the US in September and National Air Cargo started services from Chicago in November.

Air Traffic Management

The Civil Aviation Department deploys a new Air Traffic Control System which, equipped with an enhanced capacity and state-of-the-art system design, can handle the projected rapid air traffic growth, including that to be brought about by the 3RS development. After it was fully commissioned in November 2016, the new system handled about 750,000 flight movements in 2017, including flight movements at the airport and overflights, an increase of 7.6 per cent over 2016. The system was able to provide safe and efficient air navigation services even during bad weather, including the passage of five severe storms and severe/super typhoons in 2017. The department received the 2017 Global Safety Achievement Award by the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation in November 2017 to recognise its contribution to the improved safety and efficiency of air navigation services in the Hong Kong Flight Information Region by implementing the new system.

222