Hong Kong airport schedules 3rd runway

Hong Kong (CNS) -- Seventy percent of participants in a public consultation process gave the nod in principle for the construction of a third runway for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to meet the expanding airline market, according to the results released on Thursday.

Some 80 percent advocated the full version of the airport's expansion plan as soon as possible. Chief Executive Officer of the airport authority Hui Hon-chung indicated at the release conference that the consultation results have been submitted to the SAR government.

After completion, the three runways are expected to allow about 102 take-offs and landings per hour, handling 620,000 aircraft a year. The capacity is estimated to satisfy all air traffic demands in Hong Kong until 2030, when the annual passenger load will jump to 97 million.

The whole expansion blueprint - about 1.5 times the current size - will cost about 13.62 billion Hong Kong dollars, and is predicted to be finished in 10 years.

Major conservation concerns over the expansion plans are directed to possible damage to the metropolis's marine ecology and air quality as well as noise pollution. There is also speculation as to whether the budget was calculated precisely enough to absorb future inflation, as was claimed.