According to Flight Global, Hong Kong International Airport unveiled it’s 20 year master plan on Thursday and includes a possible third runway or new terminal expansion.
A third runway is one of two options presented by the masterplan released by Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), which today began a three-month consultation on the document to collect feedback.
The other option presented by the masterplan is to maintain the two-runway system at the airport but expand the airport’s terminal and apron facilities to boost capacity.
According to the report, Hong Kong International Airport is on pace to pass its maximum runway capacity by the end of the decade if no further changes are made. The airport is currently operating at 90% capacity and experiencing rapid growth.
The addition of a third runway could be very costly as the airport currently does not have enough land to build a third runway, forcing it to look at purchasing land north of the airport. According to the Wall Street Journal, this could cost over $11 billion and would be the largest infrastructure project in the city’s history. Due to being nearly completely surrounded by water, the airport would be forced to fill in land to the north in order to build a third runway, contributing to the high price tag.
For the time being, there are two options on the table: expand the airport’s terminal and allow it to handle more passengers at a lower cost or build a third runway which would allow it to handle considerably more passengers but at a very high cost.
A final decision isn’t expected for at least a few months but one thing is clear: Hong Kong is growing and it’s airport, only thirteen years old, is already in dire need of expansion.
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