Use third airport runway to cement Hong Kong’s hub status
- With Cathay Pacific expecting a delay in its full recovery, it is a good idea to entice other airlines to utilise the airport’s new capacity
The third runway will be fully operational at Hong Kong International Airport towards the end of the year. Global aviation has rebounded from the pandemic. Likewise, Hong Kong’s own air transport industry and its flagship Cathay Pacific have made significant strides.
So it is imperative that the third runway achieves full capacity quickly to cement the city’s status as an international transport hub. Both passenger and cargo capacities need to be brought fully online.
Cathay, though, has said it is expecting a delay in its full recovery to the first quarter of next year due to the poor economic environment. That is why the government is wise to move to plan B – to seek out more airlines to utilise the new capacity. Cathay needs to boost its service quality and expand its network quickly.
But while urging the carrier to bring forward its target date for full capacity, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung is right to warn that the city cannot wait. The government expressed disappointment at the airline’s slower-than-expected recovery.