[audio 1]

Hong Kong's largest infrastructure project since the Handover, it took eight years to build the three-runway system at a cost of over $140 billion. The third runway, or the current North Runway, started operation two years ago; and the current Centre Runway had been closed for expansion work until yesterday (28 November) when it was officially put back into operation, marking that all three runways are open, and inaugurating the three-runway system. Airport Authority chairman Fred Lam said the three-runway system will significantly boost the airport's capacity to 120 million passengers and 10 million tonnes of cargo annually. He expected it to reach those targets in 10 years.

[audio 2]

Hong Kong's aviation industry was lagging in returning to normalcy after the pandemic. Geopolitical tensions, particularly the impact of the war between Russia and Ukraine on East Asian air routes to and from Europe and North America, have also added hindrance to the industry's recovery. Hong Kong's air passenger volume this year is estimated at around 50 million, about 80% of the pre-pandemic figure. It will only return to the pre-pandemic level of 70 million next year at the earliest. It is for this reason that the phased reopening of Terminal 2, expanded at the outset along with the three-runway project, is anticipated to be postponed to the end of next year.

[audio 3]

Hong Kong has the important and distinctive advantage of enjoying the strong support of the country while being closely connected to the world. As the integration of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) is in full swing, economic upgrades and the long-term enhancement of the manufacturing industry will naturally entail more air transport of passengers and cargo. Hong Kong should jump at the opportunity brought about by the launch of the three-runway system to establish a foothold in the market of the GBA, which has a population of 86 million. It ought to develop more new international routes and new destinations and build Hong Kong Airport into one that serves the entire GBA.

[audio 4]

As there are seven airports in the Pearl River Delta, to effectively expand the airport's capacity with the three-runway system, airspace coordination must be strengthened. In fact, it is a working direction set by the state to coordinate the collaborative development of GBA airports as an airport cluster and enhance their competitiveness as a whole. Hong Kong operates 17 exclusive long-distance routes now, and most of their destinations are cities in developed countries. The exclusive destinations of the Guangzhou Airport are mainly cities in the Middle East and Eastern Africa, while Shenzhen has flights to some destinations in Central America. Hong Kong should think more about leveraging its strengths and complementing other GBA airports for mutual benefits.

[audio 5]

Considering usage costs alone, Hong Kong's airport is undoubtedly behind Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Still, for airlines and passengers, service quality and efficiency are important considerations. Hong Kong should take full advantage of its numerous international routes, as well as enhance passenger and cargo transfer with other GBA cities, to put its airport forward as the best choice among gateway airports in the GBA.

[audio 6]

While airports in Europe and North America where budget airlines have a share of over 30% of all flights, the ratio in Hong Kong is only 10%. Budget airlines rarely used the Hong Kong Airport in the past because of the high parking charges. Another reason was that it was hard to take off at a desirable time slot, given the airport's high usage rate. Now that the air capacity has been increased by the three-runway system, Hong Kong can make more efforts to attract budget airlines and develop more destinations and routes.

[audio 7]

明報社評2024.11.29：機場三跑啟用新里程 強化航空樞紐多努力

香港機場三跑系統正式啟用，三條跑道全開投入運作，標誌機場容量顯著提升，在本港航空運輸史上具有里程碑意義。

機場三跑系統是香港回歸後所開展的最大型基建項目，花了8年興建，耗資超過1400億元。當中第3條跑道，即現時的北跑道，兩年前已開始使用，至於現時的中跑道則因為擴建工程而關閉，直至昨天正式恢復投入運作，標誌機場三條跑道全開，三跑系統正式啟用。機管局主席林天福表示，三跑道系統將大幅提升本港機場運力，每年客運量未來可提升至1.2億人次、貨運量則達至1000萬公噸，預期10年可達標。

本港航空業疫後復常起步遲，地緣政治形勢緊張，特別是俄烏戰爭影響歐美來往東亞航線，也對本港航空業復蘇之路增添了阻滯。今年本港航空客量估計約有5000多萬，只及疫前八成。要回復到疫前全年7000萬客量的水平，最快還得等到明年。當初為配合三跑運作而擴建的二號客運大樓（T2），預料押後到明年底才分階段啟用，原因亦在於此。

「背靠國家、聯通世界」，是香港一個重要兼獨特的優勢。大灣區融合正全速推進，經濟升級和製造業的長遠提升，自然會帶動人流物流空中運輸。香港應該以三跑啟用為契機，以大灣區8600萬人口及市場作為立足點，開拓更多國際新航線新航點，將香港機場，建設成為服務整個大灣區的機場。

珠三角有7個機場，空域使用必須加強協調，三跑擴容效果才能好好發揮。事實上，以「機場群思路」統籌大灣區機場協同發展、提升整體競爭力，也是國家目前致力方向。現時香港獨營的17個長途航點，集中在發達國家城市，廣州機場獨營點主要是中東及東非城市，深圳則有一些中美洲城市航點。香港應該多思考如何發揮自身所長，實現優勢互補。

單論使用成本，香港機場無疑不及深圳廣州，但對航空公司和乘客來說，服務質素與效率也是重要考慮。香港可以善用國際航線較多的優勢，同時加強與大灣區其他城市的客貨運接駁，令香港成為大灣區首選門戶機場。

現時歐美機場廉航佔總航班逾三成，反觀香港只有一成。以往廉航公司較少使用香港機場，一方面是泊位較貴，另一方面也因為機場使用率高，難以獲得較為理想的起飛時間。三跑擴容後，香港可以在吸引廉航方面多下工夫，開拓更多航點航線。

■ Glossary 生字 /

hindrance : a person or thing that makes it more difficult for sb to do sth or for sth to happen

foothold : a strong position in a business, profession, etc. from which sb can make progress and achieve success

complement (sth) : to add to sth in a way that improves it or makes it more attractive

[audio 8]

Audio files provided by John W