Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong on Tuesday said the airport’s three-runway system, which opens on November 28, will strengthen Hong Kong’s status as an aviation hub. Speaking at the Super Terminal Expo, Wong said the Hong Kong International Airport would be able to handle 120 million passengers and 10 million tonnes of cargo annually after the launch of the third runway, more than double the current figures. He said the airport currently connects the SAR with nearly 200 global destinations, and that he expects airlines to make use of the new runway to introduce new routes. "It will make Hong Kong an even stronger aviation hub and allow us to serve the region and beyond even better. And for you as key stakeholders in the world's aviation and logistics communities, this means Hong Kong will provide you with a lot of business and profit opportunities," Wong said. "[The authorities] will proactively engage new and existing aviation partners, and markets in Belt and Road countries, including those in the Middle East and Asean." The Airport Authority said it successfully conducted safety checks at the airport in the past few months. "The Airport Authority continues to take forward the preparatory work for the commissioning of the three-runway system, including an aircraft crash and rescue exercise on the Centre Runway in the early hours of October 15," it wrote in a statement. It added that the airport’s expanded Terminal 2 will be put into service in phases from the end of 2025.
