HONG KONG, 2 December 2024: Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) commissioned its Three-runway System (3RS) on Thursday, 28 November, marking a new milestone in Hong Kong’s aviation development.
All three runways start operating simultaneously, providing the expanded capacity for HKIA to strengthen further Hong Kong’s position as a major international aviation hub. HKIA’s target is to serve 120 million passengers and handle 10 million tonnes of cargo annually 10 years from now.
The commissioning ceremony, held at HKIA, was officiated by John KC Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR); Zheng Yanxiong, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Xu Chengguang, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport, the People’s Republic of China (PRC); Liang Nan, Deputy Administrator of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC); Zou Jinsong, Director of Bureau III of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council; Fang Jianming, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of PRC in the HKSAR; and Fred Lam, Chairman of Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK).
John KC Lee commented at the ceremony: “This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the PRC. The three-runway system of HKIA has been completed. It is now in operation, carrying passengers from around the country and cargo to more destinations and providing more options for global passenger and cargo flow into the Mainland, which is particularly significant. HKIA is an important gateway to the world for Hong Kong and the entire Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, playing a strategic role in social and economic development.”
Construction works of 3RS started in August 2016. The new North Runway was officially commissioned in November 2022. Since then, HKIA has continued to operate with two runways, with the Centre Runway temporarily closed for reconfiguration. The reconfiguration works include levelling the runway pavement to tie in with connecting taxiways, constructing new runway entry and exit taxiways and building new wrap-around taxiways at both ends of the runway. After the reconfiguration works, the flight check and aircraft crash and rescue exercise were completed on the Centre Runway in September and October, respectively. After all three runways operate simultaneously, aircraft take-offs and landings at HKIA will gradually increase to match air traffic demand.
