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Chapter Title
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Figure 2.1: Optimisation of
Two-Runway System 2-13 |
Appendices
Appendix 2.1 Air Traffic Forecasting Methodology by IATA
2.1.1 Purpose
and Structure of this Section
2.1.1.1 The
purpose of this section is to provide information on the need for the project
and to describe scenarios with and without the project. This section has been
structured as follows:
Section
2.2 – Background presents the historical setting for the project, including a review of
the airport planning and development process which led to the existing Hong Kong
International Airport (HKIA) and its current
operations.
Section
2.3 - Constraints of the Existing HKIA to Meet Future Traffic Demand, explains why the third runway
project is needed and why it is considered that there is no other viable
alternative to meet the future demands on HKIA.
Section
2.4 – The Benefits of the Project describes the scenarios with the project,
and the benefits associated with a three-runway system (3RS) at HKIA.
Section
2.5 – Consequences of Not Proceeding with the Project describes scenarios without the
project and the consequences associated with restriction of HKIA as a
two-runway system (2RS).
Section
2.6 – Summary
provides a brief review of the key points raised in this section.
Section
2.7 – References lists all the reference documents which have been referred to in this
section.
2.2.1.1 There
are extensive planning studies documenting the historical development of the
airport. To appreciate the long-term and continuous airport planning and
development process in Hong Kong, the following sub-sections provide an
overview of the airport development history leading up to commissioning of the
current HKIA at North Lantau.
Overview of Kai Tak Airport (1925 to 1998)
2.2.1.2 Hong
Kong has had an international airport for over 70 years. The first airport, Kai
Tak Airport, was located along the eastern waterfront of the densely urbanised
Kowloon City District. The airport’s facilities were progressively expanded
throughout the years to handle up to 24 million passengers and 1.5 million
tonnes of cargo annually. However, by 1996 the airport had far exceeded its
annual design capacity and was handling 29.5 million passengers1 and 1.56 million tonnes of freight, making it the third
busiest airport in the world in terms of international passenger traffic and
the busiest in terms of international cargo throughput
1 This number excludes transit
passengers
Early Studies on Airport and Development Needs in the 1970s and 1980s
2.2.1.3 As
early as the 1970s, and throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, the need for replacing
Kai Tak Airport was identified and debated. Key reasons cited for the airport
replacement included
¡ Kai Tak Airport was approaching its maximum capacity. The capacity of Kai Tak Airport was ultimately constrained by its single-runway system;
¡ The location of the airport affected approximately 350,000 people living under the flight paths (and who were subject to aircraft noise levels exceeding internationally accepted standards);
¡ The location imposed physical constraints to aircraft arrivals / departures and created less than ideal safety standards; and
¡ Continuation of Kai Tak Airport at full capacity would severely limit local economic growth, which could result in Hong Kong losing out to neighbouring competitors as the major centre for trade, finance and commerce.
2.2.1.4 Options
for the expansion of Kai Tak Airport were considered first; however due to
constraints associated with marine safety and reclamation further south of the
existing runway, these options were not considered viable. In view of the
Government’s priority to retain (and enhance) Hong Kong’s sea port and airport
facilities and given the lack of practical and cost-effective options to
enhance the capacity of the old single-runway airport, alternative sites for a
replacement airport were then considered.
2.2.1.5 A
number of studies were commissioned in 1970s and 1980s to review the overall
development of Hong Kong, including options for a replacement airport. A
chronological account of the major studies is as follows:
Hong
Kong Air Transport System Long Term Planning and Investigation Studies (ASTI) -
1973
2.2.1.6 As
part of this study, an initial list of 30 sites was considered with six shortlisted,
including Chek Lap Kok. Ultimately, the study concluded that the Chek Lap Kok
site was the preferred option
Consultancy
Report for the New International Airport at Chek Lap Kok - 1980
2.2.1.7 This
study assessed the feasibility for a replacement airport at Chek Lap Kok
North
Lantau Development Investigations (NLDI) – 1980 to 1984
2.2.1.8 In
early 1980s, a series of investigation studies were conducted on the potential
development of North Lantau. These investigations were aimed at assessing the
potential of North Lantau in the context of overall long-term territorial
development
Replacement
Airport at Chek Lap Kok Master Plan Consultancy Final Report - 1982
2.2.1.9 A
Chek Lap Kok airport master plan was produced as part of a full master plan
study in 1982, with associated planning, civil engineering, design,
environmental analysis and construction programming completed in 1983
Port
Development Strategy Study - 1986
2.2.1.10 This
study looked at the long-term port requirements in Hong Kong and provided
recommendations for port expansion to 2001
Development
Potential of Hong Kong International Airport – The Kai Tak Consultancy - 1988
2.2.1.11 Following
increases in airport activity in the mid-1980s, this study re-examined the
demand, capacity and other constraints on development of Kai Tak Airport. The
study estimated that Kai Tak Airport’s ultimate capacity would be exhausted by
1996 and the programme of improvements required to reach the ultimate capacity
would cost in the order of HK$ 2.4
billion
Chek
Lap Kok Airport Master Plan Review Final Report - 1988
2.2.1.12 This
study reviewed the findings of the
Alternative
Replacement Airport Site Study (ARAS) - 1989
2.2.1.13 This
study examined suitable locations (in addition to the Chek Lap Kok site)
between Lantau and Lamma islands where a twin-runway replacement airport could
be developed. It identified the potentially suitable alternative sites, which
were subsequently taken up by the Port and Airport Development Strategy (PADS)
study for further comparison with the Chek Lap Kok site
Port and Airport Development Strategy (PADS)
2.2.1.14 Following
on from the earlier studies, a long-term strategy on port and airport
development was required both to consolidate the findings of the previous
studies as well as to present a more holistic way forward. Thus in 1988, PADS
was commissioned.
2.2.1.15 The
PADS study comprised an assessment of the combined land uses of port
facilities, container port back-up facilities, airport, industry and
warehousing, and residential development. The strategy for these combined land
uses largely centred around the development scenarios for the airport.
Following the findings of the earlier studies, three airport location scenarios
were appraised:
Scenario A – airport retained at Kai Tak
Scenario B – airport relocated to Chek Lap Kok, North Lantau
Scenario C – airport relocated to east Lantau / Western Harbour (based on the findings of the ARAS study)
2.2.1.16 For
each of these scenarios, a number of potential initial options were created
based on various combinations of airport, port, industry and residential uses
and locations. A total of 46 initial options were drawn up and subsequently 12
preferred options were identified
2.2.1.17 Each
of the recommended strategies was appraised to compare the advantages and
disadvantages under the major categories of economic performance, environmental
and social impact, programming, flexibility and financial performance. The
findings of the strategies appraisal was submitted to the Government, and in 1989, the Government announced the decision to adopt the
strategy that incorporated a replacement airport at Chek Lap Kok
North Lantau Development Study
2.2.1.18 The
proposed new airport at Chek
Lap Kok and its high capacity road and rail connections represented
requirements and pressure for urban development on Lantau. The North Lantau
Development study was commissioned in 1990 to provide an appropriate context
for the detailed planning, engineering feasibility, traffic and transport, as
well as environmental studies needed to implement PADS in the North Lantau
area. It involved formulating a Recommended Outline Development Plan (RODP) for
the study area and included a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) study for the development
New Airport Master Plan 1992
2.2.1.19 After
Chek Lap Kok was selected for development as the ‘new’ airport site, a New
Airport Master Plan (NAMP) study was initiated in 1990. This study comprised a planning
report, a civil engineering report and an EIA.
New Airport Master Plan EIA Study 1992
2.2.1.20 The
planning and civil engineering reports produced a range of conceptual
infrastructure and facility designs, proposed construction methodologies and
operational forecasts, which were used as the basis for the development of
detailed designs. The NAMP-EIA defined
how identified environmental impacts of building and operating HKIA could be
minimised, proposing
associated environmental controls, mitigation measures and monitoring and audit
requirements for construction and operation stages. The study focused on
identifying potential impacts on noise, air quality, water quality, marine and
terrestrial ecology, waste, and aesthetics (visual). Based on the findings of
the NAMP EIA, some of the key recommendations included
¡ Retain the sea channel between North Lantau and Chek Lap Kok to enable natural flushing of the Tung Chung Bay area (thereby reducing adverse impacts on water quality);
¡ Implement various control measures on pollutant discharge from the operational airport including oil interception facilities, spillage response plans and routine environmental monitoring;
¡ Select the runway configuration and alignments with less potential for noise impacts on nearby noise sensitive receivers, and locate aircraft maintenance facilities further away from the North Lantau residents and distant from passenger handling areas;
¡ Set aside the southern tip of Chek Lap Kok (Scenic Hill) both to reduce noise impacts to North Lantau residents during the construction stage and then to retain its natural character by designating an open space reserve to form a green gateway for HKIA;
¡ Adoption of airport operations designed to minimise freshwater use, incorporating the use of seawater for cooling and flushing in many airport buildings, as well as provisioning for a greywater treatment plant, which would enable the re-use of wastewater;
¡ An approach requiring stormwater drainage from all areas with potentially polluting activities to discharge away from the more sensitive southern sea channel; and
¡ Recommendations on a range of mitigation and compensation measures including tree-planting on North Lantau, mangrove planning in Tai O and support of further ecological studies, for example on local seagrass communities and species such as Romer’s Tree Frog.
2.2.1.21 While
the aforementioned recommendations were made in the NAMP EIA to minimise
environmental impacts associated with operation of the airport at the Chek Lap
Kok site, it should be noted that the decision to move the airport from Kai Tak
to Chek Lap Kok enabled a substantial reduction of adverse noise impacts to
large areas of urban Kowloon. This occurred because the Chek Lap
Kok location allowed flight paths to be routed mainly over the South China Sea
and away from urban areas, thereby substantially reducing the number of
sensitive receivers potentially affected by aircraft noise.
Airport Core Programme Projects
2.2.1.22 To
commence construction of the new airport and associated developments, a set of
10 major projects known as the Airport Core Programme projects was
commissioned. These comprised the Chek Lap Kok Airport, Tung Chung Development
Phase I, North Lantau Expressway, Airport Railway, Lantau Fixed Crossing, Route
3, West Kowloon Reclamation, West Kowloon Expressway, Western Harbour Crossing,
and Central & Wanchai Reclamation Phase I. Another set of projects related
to port developments was also adopted. Work on the infrastructure to that would
link with the new airport began in 1991
New Airport Master Plan Update 1998
2.2.1.23 In
1998, a NAMP-EIA update was published. The update reported on the status of
implementation of environmental commitments made in the 1992 NAMP-EIA relating
to the design, construction and operation of HKIA. The update also included the projection of
new noise contours according to a commitment in the 1991 NAMP-EIA. Changes from the 1992 contours resulted
mainly from alterations to the proposed runway operation modes that were made
after approval of the 1992 NAMP. The new noise contours reflected a substantial
improvement in noise impacts resulting from the operation of the airport, as
the proposed changes to the runway operation modes meant that Ma Wan and a
section of Castle Peak Road were no longer within the 25 Noise Exposure
Forecast (NEF) contours
2.2.2 Operation
of HKIA at Chek Lap Kok
2.2.2.1 Since
its opening in 1998, HKIA has been recognised for the quality of its services as evident from
worldwide recognition as the best airport for more than 50 times by different
trade / travel organisations over the past 15 years.
2.2.2.2 HKIA
has achieved similar operational accolades elsewhere, ranked as the world’s
busiest international cargo airport since 1996
¡ HKIA’s strategic position within Asia Pacific, allowing it to develop the best connections which in turn attracts transfer traffic for both passengers and cargo;
¡ The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government’s progressive liberalisation policy on air services which opened access to a wide network of destinations worldwide;
¡ Professional airport management, operation and continued investment in airport infrastructure;
¡ Investments and contributions made by
¡ Hong Kong’s overall economic growth.
2.2.2.3 Over
the years, HKIA has played a significant role in Hong Kong’s economy, providing
jobs both directly and indirectly (refer to Section 2.4.4) as it experienced high growth
rates in passengers, cargo and air traffic
movements, converting it into an international and regional aviation and
logistics hub.
2.2.3.1 A
hub airport is defined as an airport with connections that allow both the
direct and indirect transport and transfer of passengers and cargo between
destinations other than (but nevertheless via), and including, the hub itself.
This means that the airport is not simply for the purpose of transporting local
people, tourists and goods into and out of the territory. A hub airport
performs a larger role by allowing the transfer / transit of passengers and
goods to other destinations via the hub airport, and with it, a wide range of associated
logistical and economic gains for the territory in which the hub airport is
based.
2.2.3.2 An
example of these ‘gains’ is market opportunities. Some direct flights to
destinations with emerging markets are only economically feasible due to the
transfer / transit demand (i.e. there would not be enough demand from local
residents of the two departure / destination cities to enable direct
connections to be commercially viable). In the absence of a hub airport, there
would be next to no transfer / transit passengers and such direct connections
would not exist. Consequently, the associated economic opportunities to these
emerging markets would be lost. A hub airport is thus considered to be a
strategically important component of the competitiveness of a city.
2.2.3.3 As
a hub airport, HKIA serves traffic originating or terminating in Hong Kong (origin-destination
traffic) as well as transfer traffic of passengers and
transhipment of cargo around the world, facilitated by its capacity and 24-hour
operations. More than 100 airlines provide services between Hong Kong and
around 170 destinations, including 50 in the Mainland. HKIA’s advantageous
geographical location at the heart of Asia Pacific region, together with the growing Mainland market means that
nearly half of the world’s population live within five hours flying time from
Hong Kong
2.2.3.4 The
growth in throughput and connectivity that HKIA has experienced since its
commissioning reflects HKIA’s status as an international and regional aviation
hub. In 1998, HKIA handled 28.6 million passengers and 1.6 million tonnes of
cargo, with 450 air traffic movements (ATMs) per day to about 120 destinations
Table 2.1: Historical Throughput of HKIA (1998 – 2013)
|
Throughput |
1998 |
2003 |
2008 |
2013 |
|
No. of passengers handled (millions per year) |
28.6 |
27.4 (-4%) |
48.6 (70%) |
59.9 (109%) |
|
Quantity of cargos handled (million tonnes per year) |
1.6 |
2.6 (62%) |
3.6 (125%) |
4.1 (153%) |
|
ATMs (per year) |
163,000 |
188,000 (15%) |
301,000 (84%) |
372,000 (128%) |
Note: ATM numbers have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
Percentages inside bracket
represent the percentage increases over the corresponding 1998 figures.
2003 is the worst
performance year due to SARS outbreak.
2.2.3.5 This
substantial increase in throughput signifies the importance of HKIA for
transport of passengers and cargo throughout Asia Pacific and beyond. The
importance of maintaining Hong Kong’s hub position is also expressed in the 2013 Policy Address by the Chief
Executive,
“We will continue to improve our aviation,
maritime and land transport facilities and their connectivity, and reinforce
and enhance Hong Kong's role as a regional hub for passenger and cargo
traffic.”
2.2.3.6 To
meet the continued expectations of HKIA as an aviation hub, regular monitoring
of existing and future demand against the capacity of HKIA is needed to ensure
that plans for expansion and improvements to HKIA are optimised to meet demands
without compromising on service quality.
2.2.4 Enhancements to the Existing Two Runway
System
2.2.4.1 As
passenger and cargo demands at HKIA grew, facilities and services at HKIA also
expanded to accommodate. Investment in the infrastructure at HKIA has been
continuous since its opening. At the end of 2011, approximately HK$ 18 billion had already been invested in
capital expenditure for airport-related improvements
¡ 2000 – Arrivals Hall was reconfigured to provide better passenger and transport counter services to airport users;
¡ 2002 – East Hall at Terminal 1 was renovated and expanded to enhance the airport experience;
¡ 2003 – cross-boundary ferry service of (temporary) SkyPier began, allowing passenger connection from HKIA to the ports of Macao and the PRD area;
¡ 2005 – six e-channels opened at the Arrivals Immigration Hall to improve the efficiency of immigration clearance;
¡ 2006 – airfield facilities were enhanced to cater for the new A380 (a double-deck, wide-bodied passenger jet airliner that began commercial operation in 2007);
¡ 2007 – Terminal 2 (with enhanced cross-boundary airport coach and limousine services) was completed and began operation;
¡ 2008 – an additional 10 cargo stands and taxiways were added to cater for increased cargo demand;
¡ 2010 – North Satellite Concourse was completed, improving passenger convenience and reducing the number of flights that need to park at remote bays. The permanent SkyPier was also completed; and
¡ 2011 – various capacity and service enhancements to Terminal 1, including the central concourse, arrival and departure processing, and Baggage Handling System.
¡ 2014 to 2017 – apron expansion and Midfield development which will provide additional aircraft parking stands and passenger concourse / airfield facilities.
2.3
Constraints
of the Existing HKIA to Meet Future Traffic Demand
2.3.1.1 This
section explains why the third runway project is needed and why there is no
other viable alternative to meet the future demands on HKIA.
2.3.2.1 Airports
worldwide represent international gateways for the transfer of passengers,
goods, and commodities across borders. These activities create a number of
economic benefits that reach far beyond the boundaries of the airport itself.
HKIA, as Hong Kong’s one and only international airport, is the physical
infrastructure needed to permit this air-based transfer and the capacity of
HKIA directly affects the amount of passengers, goods, and commodities that can
be transferred (by air) into and out of Hong Kong. The operation of HKIA is a
fundamental driver for the various economy sectors that rely on passengers, goods, and
commodities that are to be transferred by air.
2.3.2.2 Up
until now, HKIA has grown within the physical limits of the airport island
footprint; providing increased and improved services, and thus meeting the
increasing needs and demands of the various economy sectors that
depend on air travel / airfreight. However, in order to assess the ability of
HKIA to grow and continue to meet demands relies first and foremost on
forecasts for air traffic demand, which forms the starting point for any such
assessment.
2.3.3 Practical
Maximum Capacity
2.3.3.1 The handling capacity of HKIA
is primarily constrained by the runway capacity, as well as the availability of
parking facilities and environmental constraints. The practical
maximum capacity of the existing 2RS is 420,000 ATMs per year. This is based on a consultancy study by National
Air Traffic Services (NATS) endorsed by Civil Aviation Department (CAD)
concluding that 68 ATMs per hour is the practical maximum regardless of operation mode.
There are a combination of factors taken
into account including (but not limited
to) aircraft fleet mix at HKIA, terrain constraints imposed by the proximity of
Tai Mo Shan, Castle Peak and other mountainous areas on Lantau Island,
complicated airspace management, and safety compliance requirements imposed by
the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
2.3.4.1 HKIA’s
design was based on the 1992 NAMP,
which estimated that by the Year 2040, the airport would handle 87 million
passengers, 8.9 million tonnes of cargo and 376,000 ATMs per year, the majority of which would be from origin
and destination traffic. However, the enhanced capacity, scheduling flexibility
and connectivity advantages of HKIA coupled with the rapid development of Hong
Kong as a centre of international business and finance have transformed the airport from the originally
anticipated origin / destination airport into a hub airport. Simultaneously,
air traffic demands have increased dramatically and driven by market, aircraft
mix has changed, comprising a growing number of narrow-bodied (smaller)
aircraft. Consequently, the recent
air traffic demand forecast is now much higher than that was originally
envisaged by the 1992 NAMP at
the time HKIA was designed. Forecasts published in 2011 projected demand to be approximately 97 million
passengers, 8.9 million tonnes of cargo and 602,000 ATMs per year by 2030
Table 2.2: Projected Throughput of HKIA Based on the Updated Projections
|
Yearly throughput |
2020 |
2025 |
2030 |
1992 NAMP Projection for 2040 (for comparison) |
|
No. of passengers (in millions) |
70 |
86 |
102 |
87 |
|
Quantity of cargos (in million tonnes) |
5.8 |
7.3 |
8.9 |
8.9 |
|
ATMs (rounded to the nearest thousand) |
420,000 |
505,000 |
607,000 |
376,000 |
2.3.4.2 Further to Hong Kong International Airport
Master Plan 2030 (MP2030), and for the purpose of EIA, the
long-term forecasts have been updated by the IATA in 2013 following a robust
approach. IATA reviewed the models
underlying the forecasts published in 2011 and concluded that the passenger and
cargo equations were still valid. It was further established that Hong Kong’s
economy was bouncing back faster and stronger than anticipated and this
justified revising up HKIA forecasts.
The revised forecasts are based on the latest information made available
to IATA through various sources at the time the forecast was established. In
particular these forecasts included the following factors:
¡ Updated economy forecasts;
¡ 2RS and 3RS constrained capacity; and
¡ Latest strategies of the main passenger and cargo operators. About 40 passenger and cargo airlines representing over 80 % of the 2011 busy day ATM have been consulted on their future offer and fleet in the specific context of the foreseen saturation of the existing 2RS and future 3RS at HKIA.
2.3.4.3 In
the context of the long-term forecast, IATA anticipates that the 2RS saturation
will happen in 2018. In general, long-term forecasts are needed to provide
directional guidance for planning purposes, but they are not meant to be used
for predicting short-term fluctuations. Based on the latest fast growing slot
demands for 2014 and summer 2015, however, it seems that 2RS saturation may
happen even earlier. It is not uncommon to see accelerated ATM growth before an
airport reaches capacity saturation. Similar trends have been observed at other
airports facing an imminent saturation.
Airlines pre-empt available slots before they become unavailable. The
short-term growth pace will influence when an airport becomes saturated but has
minimal impact on the long-term demand.
2.3.4.4 Relevant details of the air
traffic forecasting methodology are presented in Appendix 2.1.
2.3.5 Comparison of Actual versus Constrained
Demand in the Context of the Practical Maximum Capacity of the Two-Runway
System
2.3.5.1 Chart 2.1 shows the comparison of
actual and projected ATMs up to 2030 in the context of the practical
maximum capacity of the 2RS
2.3.5.2 The
revised air traffic forecasts include a long-term constrained ATM forecast that
takes into account relevant factors including the maximum practical capacities
of the 2RS and 3RS. This ATM forecast cannot be directly compared with
short-term projections and recorded variations in ATM growth rates experienced
at HKIA, especially for the earlier years when HKIA was operating under an
unconstrained environment with respect to runway capacity.
|
Practical Maximum for Two-Runway System @
420,000 ATM Historical Values (Table 2.1) Projected Values
(Table 2.2) |
2.3.6 Relevant Factors taken into Consideration
2.3.6.1 As
part of the MP2030 forecasts, a range of external factors that might affect
traffic demand was also reviewed and considered in the forecasting model. These
include air services agreements, cross-strait direct flights, trade agreements,
travel policy, tourism development, cross-boundary infrastructure development,
passengers’ travelling preferences, modal competition from containerised
shipping, developments of surrounding airports and airlines’ strategies. On the
whole, these have been found to have negligible impact or have already been
factored into the traffic demand models. Some of the main factors and queries
raised by stakeholders during the MP2030 studies that have been accounted for
are reviewed below.
Consideration of Aircraft Size
2.3.6.2 It
has been suggested that the capacity constraint could be addressed by airlines
using larger aircraft. Using larger aircraft will allow more passengers and
cargo to transit through HKIA. However, this does not solve the capacity
constraint in terms of ATMs, which will remain capped by the 2RS regardless of
the size of aircrafts deployed. In addition, to be an effective hub HKIA needs
to accommodate a mix of large and narrow-bodied feeder type aircraft so as to
allow access to a broader choice of onward destinations. Without the ability to
fly directly to secondary destinations, passengers will travel via other
regional hubs instead and Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub
(with its associated logistical and economic benefits) would be compromised
Competition from High Speed Rail
2.3.6.3 It
has been suggested that with the development of high speed rail networks
between Hong Kong and cities in the Mainland, air traffic demand to/from the
Mainland will decrease, thereby reducing the need for expanded air services.
2.3.6.4 While
it is considered that the high speed rail may affect the competitiveness of air
travel between Hong Kong and short haul Mainland destinations like Shantou,
Changsha, Nanning, Xiamen, Wuhan, Nanjing, Nanchang and Fuzhou (which are
served by high speed rail connections), these regional Mainland routes combined
equates to only about 3 % of HKIA’s passenger traffic in 2010
2.3.6.5 Conversely,
data from Europe and Japan indicate that the introduction of high speed rail
can increase people’s willingness to travel, which in the medium to long term,
increases the overall market size for both rail and air transportation, thereby
compensating for the potential air traffic loss on individual short haul routes
Optimisation of Pearl River Delta (PRD) Airspace
2.3.6.6 There
are queries as to whether the busy PRD airspace would effectively cap the
number of flights that would be permitted to arrive / depart via HKIA, thereby
offsetting any increase in HKIA runway capacity. Flights to/from HKIA using PRD
airspace accounted for only 21 % of total flights served by HKIA in 2012. While
PRD airspace is busy during certain periods of time, it has not been a
constraint to HKIA from an overall development of air services perspective.
There is a plan agreed among relevant civil aviation authorities of Mainland,
Macao and Hong Kong to address the issues relating to optimising PRD airspace.
Thus, it is not expected that growing usage of PRD airspace would affect the
viability of capacity expansion at HKIA.
2.3.7 Review of the Viability of Alternatives to
Airport Expansion
Optimising the Remaining Two-Runway Capacity
2.3.7.1 The
option of maintaining a 2RS would require further expansion beyond
the already
committed Midfield development, including the passenger Terminal 1 (T1), apron, passenger concourse,
Automated People Mover (APM) system, Baggage
Handling System, road network and landside transportation
facilities (refer to Figure 2.1). However, under the constraint of
the practical maximum runway capacity described in Section 2.3.5, HKIA is unable to meet the air
traffic demand forecast (of 607,000 ATMs
per year) for 2030. Under this two-runway option, air traffic
demand will be met up before 2020, at which point, the airport will saturate
and will thereafter be operating under a ‘constrained’ mode, with the same
consequences as described in Section 2.5.
|
|
|
|
2.3.7.2 It has been
suggested that the airport can be expanded into a 3RS after exhausting the two-runway capacity. However,
this delayed expansion is not considered viable as differences in airport
layouts would mean that a significant amount of infrastructure built to enhance
the 2RS would need to be dismantled to accommodate a 3RS layout. This will result in substantial resource
wastage and incur greater costs. The added delay in adopting the 3RS and the time required to construct would
also mean that HKIA’s capacity would be exhausted before the third runway would
be built and air traffic lost to competing airports could be difficult to
recover.
2.3.7.3 Overall,
relying on
continuous enhancement of the existing airport and not expanding into a
3RS would only provide a short-term relief to
air traffic demands. In the long-term, it is considered that this approach
would impact adversely on Hong Kong’s competitiveness and long-term growth
opportunities.
Co-operation with Neighbouring Airports
2.3.7.4 The
possibility of relying on neighbouring airports in the PRD (Guangzhou,
Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Macao airports) to address HKIA’s capacity issues has been
raised as a possible alternative. However, there are many issues with the
viability of this alternative. These include the following:
Restrictions
due to Air Jurisdictions and Air Services Agreements
2.3.7.5 Air
services are governed by a series of jurisdiction-specific regulations as well
as international bilateral agreements. Both HKIA and airlines that route to or
via HKIA are required to operate within these regulations which are set by the
corresponding governments of individual jurisdictions. Consequently, it is not
permitted to simply funnel airlines and flights to different airports purely
based on the preferences of HKIA. In the case of Hong Kong and any of the PRD
airports, the fact that they do not belong to the same administrative region
further complicates matters as they have separate governments, administrative
systems, currencies, border controls and immigration requirements, air services
agreements, airport operators, stakeholders and designated and operating
airlines
2.3.7.6 It
should be noted that there is airport cooperation in terms of knowledge
transfer and management of shared networks. This form of cooperation is
typically founded on the basis of air traffic flying between the cooperating
airports (e.g. the cooperation pact between Singapore’s Changi Airport and
Japan’s Narita Airport
Inconvenience to Passenger and Cargo
Logistics
2.3.7.7 A
hub airport, as previously defined, needs to be able to support a substantial
proportion of transfer / transit traffic. To re-direct this transfer / transit
traffic to another airport for the first or second part of the journey
essentially eliminates the benefits to airlines and passengers of directing
their flights via HKIA in the first place. Operation of a dual-airport concept
not only adds inconvenience to travellers, but also incurs additional time and resource depletions affecting both
the scheduling and affordability of the journey. Transferring traffic between
airports via rail or road links also adds to the burden of existing
infrastructure and generates additional environmental impacts such as air and noise emissions, potential ecological issues, visual impacts, etc.
Given the lack of benefits to passengers and the airfreight industry, these
users will simply opt for other airports to make their transfer journeys, thus
essentially eradicating the transfer / transit traffic at HKIA, and its hub
status.
Loss of Economic Benefits and
Competitiveness
2.3.7.8 Relying
on other airports to meet Hong Kong’s air traffic demand reduces benefit to
Hong Kong’s economy. By redirecting flights to airports outside of Hong Kong,
airfreight operators may no longer obtain any advantage by basing their
operations in Hong Kong, and will consequently relocate their operations
elsewhere. Similarly, international business sectors that require a highly
mobile workforce may also shift their operation centres to other cities that
can better serve their travel needs, consequently diminishing the overall
competitiveness of Hong Kong.
2.3.8 Conclusion
of the Demand Analysis
2.3.8.1
As explained in Section
2.3.2, airports are a fundamental driver for the
various economy sectors that rely on passengers, goods, and
commodities that are to be transferred by air. However, the MP2030 air traffic
forecasts and demand analysis presented in Section
2.3.4 has shown
that demand will soon exceed the existing maximum capacity of HKIA taking into
consideration the effects of external factors such as aircraft size,
competition from high speed rail and optimisation of PRD airspace. Maintaining
the 2RS is not a sustainable solution and the notion of cooperation with
neighbouring airports is not a viable alternative. All in all, the analysis clearly
demonstrates that the future air traffic demand cannot be met with the existing
2RS.
2.3.8.2
Once the maximum capacity of the 2RS is
reached, a series of impacts will affect the operation of HKIA, which are
detailed in Section 2.5. To avoid the wider impacts associated with
suppressing the demand that can be met by advance
planning, HKIA needs to develop in tandem with demand,
which necessitates a 3RS.
Implication of Lead Time
2.3.8.3
Airport infrastructure
development is
capital investment-intensive, and due to the scale and complexity of the
construction works, a long lead time with considerable advance planning is
required. It is estimated that the 3RS would take approximately 11
years from planning to completion and hence 2023 is the earliest it could be expected to start commissioning
2.4.1.1 This
section describes the scenarios with the project, and the benefits associated
with a 3RS at HKIA.
2.4.2 Quality
of Airport Services and Facilities
2.4.2.1 The proposed project involves
construction of a number of new airport infrastructure and facilities, all
aimed at improving the operational efficiency of the airport and the associated
quality of services to passengers and the airfreight industry. These facilities
include new passenger concourses, a revamped Terminal 2 (T2), an expanded APM
and a new high-speed Baggage
Handling System (BHS) and associated facilities, all of which
will contribute to improving and maintaining the existing high quality of
services for passengers. The airfreight industry will benefit from increased
facilities including new aircraft stands and associated airfreight handling
facilities as well as an improved road network at the cargo areas.
Infrastructure improvements will also provide better road networks, car parking
and public transport facilities for increased passenger convenience when
travelling to and from the airport.
2.4.2.2 As
well as providing an opportunity for developing new world class airport
facilities and infrastructure the proposed third runway project provides a
unique opportunity to learn from experiences gained in operating existing
facilities, including knowledge on operational constraints to explore
operational and efficiency improvements during re-configuration of existing
facilities. For
instance, providing some buffer to ATMs, BHS, parking capacity and airside and landside
road networks will permit HKIA to prepare better operational
contingency for handling and recovering from emergencies or occasional service
disruptions due to abnormal incidents, such as typhoons, so that impacts to
passenger and airfreight can be kept to a minimum.
2.4.2.3 With
expanded runway capacity, some flexibility in the operation of the 3RS will be made possible. For example, as
suggested in the MP2030, the South
Runway will be assigned to standby mode during
night time (where possible) to reduce noise impacts to residents of North
Lantau.
2.4.3 Increased
Air Connectivity
2.4.3.1 Air
connectivity refers to the number of destinations served and the frequency of
flights to each destination. A world class airport is one that is able to offer
both a wide choice of destinations and departure / arrival times as well as
high quality ground-based services. It should also have the capacity to modify
existing routes and open new routes to keep in line with changing passenger and
market-driven demands.
2.4.3.2 At
the same time, it is widely recognised that air connectivity is crucially
important for international business and trade. Trade sectors that provide
international products and services require mobile workforces and a frequent
and reliable air service to enable them to operate flexibly and within tight time
constraints. Increasing air connectivity makes Hong Kong a more attractive
location for foreign investment and setting up of regional headquarters, thus
forming part of the cycle that perpetuates economic growth.
2.4.3.3 With
the proposed expansion of
HKIA, flight capacity will increase which is a precursor to increased air
connectivity. According to the MP2030 study, with an additional (third) runway,
HKIA will be able to
support a practical maximum capacity of 620,000 ATMs per year, which translates
to 102 ATMs per hour (compared to the practical maximum of 68 ATMs per hour
based on a 2RS)
Direct Employment
2.4.4.1 The
aviation industry is known to be a major source of employment. HKIA is one of
the biggest single-site employers in Hong Kong, supporting about 65,000 direct
jobs on the existing airport
island in 2010. It is estimated that the proposed expansion
would increase direct employment to 141,000 by 2030
2.4.4.2 Indirect
jobs are those that involve supplies of goods or services to the aviation sector
and non-aviation activities at HKIA, and induced jobs refer to those jobs that
are supported by the spending of income by direct and indirect employees
associated with HKIA. When these jobs are factored into the equation, HKIA
effectively generates a total of approximately 199,000 indirect and induced
jobs by 2030. This growth will be possible as a result of the proposed airport
expansion.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
2.4.4.3 HKIA
is an international and regional aviation centre providing social and economic
contributions to
2.4.4.4 As
global GDP grows, the aviation market will also grow, and demand for airport
services (and associated economic contributions) will continue to rise. Given
Hong Kong’s open market and externally-oriented economy, similar relationship
between GDP and air traffic growth exists in Hong Kong (refer to Chart 2.2 below)
|
Chart 2.2: Comparison
Between Actual and Derived HKIA Passenger Traffic Based on Hong Kong GDP |
|
|
2.4.4.5 It has been estimated that a 10 %
improvement in connectivity relative to GDP would see a HK$ 1 billion per annum increase in long-run GDP
for the Hong Kong economy
International Business
2.4.4.6 Global
connectivity is essential to
2.4.4.7 In
Hong Kong, an estimated 3,500 regional offices provide employment to about
140,000 people
2.4.4.8 Air
transport also plays a vital role in the cross boundary trade of goods, particularly
high value and perishable goods. Globally, 35 % of the world trade by value is
transported by air, with HKIA supporting 36 % of Hong Kong’s external trade by
value via air transport in 2012
2.4.4.9 Equally
important is the tourism sector’s contribution to the economy, where over 48
million visitors spent over HK$ 290
billion in the local economy in 2012
Interface with Mainland
2.4.4.10 Mainland
is the manufacturing capital of the world, and the World Tourism Organisation
(WTO) has also projected it to become the world’s fourth-largest tourist source
market and the largest domestic tourist market by 2015
|
Chart 2.3: GPRD Airports Capacity and Forecast Passenger Demand (2020 and 2030) Based on MP2030 |
|
|
2.4.4.11 With an unconstrained handling capacity,
HKIA was able to capture about 80 % of the GPRD airports’ international
passengers and about 90 % of its international cargo throughput in 2008
2.4.5 Environmental
Improvements
2.4.5.1
It is unavoidable that a development of this scale will have impacts on the environment, which are
identified and addressed in this
EIA with the aim of avoiding (where practicable) and at the very least, minimising such impacts to within acceptable levels.
Nevertheless, there are opportunities, at
the project’s design, construction and operation stages, for incorporating positive environmental aspects into the
project.
Allowing More Flexibility to Avoid Night Time Use of Southern Runway for the Benefits of North Lantau Residents
2.4.5.2
Current operation of HKIA requires night time use of the South Runway due to the existing high demand and the
scheduled closure of North Runway for maintenance purposes. This means that some residents along North Lantau are currently covered by
NEF contours. With the implementation of the 3RS, scheduling flexibility would be improved,
and preference can be given to avoiding the need for operation of the South Runway during night time by shifting night
time air traffic movements to the centre runway or new North Runway. This would reduce the number of noise
sensitive receivers (NSRs) covered by the NEF contours.
Increased Flexibility to Preferential Use of Flight Tracks for Avoiding Aircraft Noise Impact
2.4.5.3
Addition of a third runway provides increased
flexibility in aircraft operations. This would, in turn, allow for increased flexibility in the
implementation of
preferential flight track use for aircraft landing
and take-off
with the aim of further minimising air traffic movements over populated areas.
Minimising Unnecessary Aircraft
Emissions while Waiting for Landing
2.4.5.4
Increased runway capacity provided by the
third runway also means that aircraft landing slots would increase, and this
would reduce the waiting time required for approaching aircrafts to land.
Reduced landing time provides the benefit of reducing airspace congestion and
the associated emissions arising from aircrafts ‘circling’ the airport. Similar
reductions in waiting time for take-off and taxiing into parking stands would
also reduce idling emissions. These measures can only be implemented with the
additional capacity and flexibility resulting from implementation of the 3RS.
Beneficial Use of Unwanted
Materials Generated by Other Local Projects
2.4.5.5
Inert construction & demolition (C&D)
materials generated by other local projects and accumulated in the government’s
public fill reception facilities would be used for the land formation work of
this project. This will, on one hand,
allow for the beneficial use of a substantial amount of such unwanted
materials, and on the other hand, will minimise the need for import of raw
materials for land formation.
Incorporating Best Practice
Environmental Efficiencies into Airport Buildings and Facilities
2.4.5.6
The design process for new development at
HKIA is predicated on the identification of opportunities for incorporating
elements into the design of facilities and infrastructure that are able to
enhance environmental efficiency and minimise environmental impacts over the
building / facility lifecycle. Opportunities for efficiency must be considered
for both the construction and operations stages.
2.4.5.7
Energy efficiency will be built into the new
airport facilities, including the expanded T2 and third runway concourse (TRC)
buildings, which will adopt efficient cooling systems combined with building
envelopes and other design elements that reduce cooling energy demand;
efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lighting and occupancy / sensor control
technologies that reduce energy demand combined with building façade designs
that reduce the need for artificial lighting. On-site emissions will be
minimised through the increasing use of electric vehicles and ground support
equipment making use of grid powered fixed-ground power and pre-conditioned air
systems to be provided at stands (instead of diesel powered auxiliary
generators / cooling units). Several other innovative technologies and systems
are being evaluated as designs progress.
2.4.5.8
Efficient water management will comprise
various systems intended to reduce water demand and encourage water reuse.
These will include extending the use of seawater for cooling and flushing to
minimise potable water demand, the adoption of low flow water fixtures and the
implementation of a greywater collection and treatment system to treat
greywater generated from certain new airport facilities for beneficial reuse
(e.g. landscape irrigation or cleaning related activities).
2.4.5.9
Waste recycling initiatives during operation
phase will build on existing HKIA good practice in this area in existing
buildings and facilities. Initiatives
will include provision for on-site waste collection and separation facilities
for food waste and glass bottles as well as the standard recycling bins for
paper, plastic and metal cans. Green procurement strategies will be required
both during construction and operation of the project, to minimise waste
generation and maximise re-use and recycling opportunities.
2.5
Consequences
of Not Proceeding with the Project
2.5.1.1 This
section describes the scenarios without the proposed project and the
consequences associated with restriction of HKIA as a 2RS.
2.5.2 Airport and the Aviation Industry
2.5.2.1 Investment
in airport infrastructure has been continuous since the opening of HKIA, with
HK$ 18 billion already invested and more than HK$ 12 billion committed to the Midfield
development and Apron Expansion
Implications of a ‘Constrained’ Operation Mode
2.5.2.2 Constrained
mode refers to a mode of operation where demand (for aircraft landing and
take-off slots) exceeds supply (availability of landing and take-off slots).
When an airport changes its operation mode from ‘unconstrained’ to
‘constrained’, a series of consequential reactions will typically occur,
leading to impacts that reach far beyond the boundaries of the airport itself.
The most immediately and directly affected areas include the airport operators,
the airline operators, and the aviation industry in general. Chart 2.4 summarises
the sequence of impacts that are expected to occur. These are based on
experience by other hub airports overseas such as London Heathrow Airport, as well as experience from the
constrained operation of Kai Tak Airport in the past.
Airport Operation
2.5.2.3 With
an airport operating at full capacity, the risk of congestion during landing
and take-off will increase, and aircraft parking on the ground and at the gates will also be
restricted. Apart from the increased holding time required for aircraft waiting
to take off / land (which generates additional air and noise emissions), a
congested airport has limited room to cater for operational delays, and such
delays can have a much greater knock-on effect for other air traffic movements, ultimately increasing the time
required to negate the effects of the delay and restore scheduled operations.
2.5.2.4 Similarly,
an airport running at full operational capacity has limited flexibility to cope
with more significant disruptions such as severe adverse weather conditions or
other unforeseen incidents such as security breaches. These disruptions
typically result in a substantial backlog of flights that not only frustrate
passengers but also generate congested and disorderly service at the airport
terminals. The baggage / cargo handling system may also be disrupted, resulting
in residual delays even after the airport returns to normal operation. In some
instances, baggage and cargo may be damaged or lost, thereby further affecting
customers as well as the airport. All of these factors contribute to an overall
deterioration of the quality of service at the airport.
Airline Operations
2.5.2.5 Airports
that operate under a constrained mode typically experience changes in air
traffic patterns as airlines try to optimise their operations within a
constrained airport. Past experience at Kai Tak Airport has shown that there
will normally be a transition period when airlines try to adapt to the capacity
constraint by switching to larger aircraft in order to keep up with continued
passenger and cargo demands, and then perhaps preferential routing and a switch
to origin-and-destination focus.
2.5.2.6 Preferential
routing arises when airlines have to make a decision between routes of
different profitability. When the airport only has a limited number of slots,
airlines typically cut down on those routes that are less profitable in favour
of the more lucrative routes. A reduction in frequency of certain routes leads
to reduced passenger choice, increased connection time and potentially higher
price that passengers must pay
2.5.2.7 A
switch to origin-and-destination routes is another likely consequence of constrained airport operation, as airlines
need to focus the limited slots for higher yield origin-and-destination routes
rather than the lower yield transfer / transit network. A hub airport by
definition requires a substantial proportion of transfer / transit traffic.
However with a reduction in the number of routes being offered by airlines,
this transfer / transit traffic will correspondingly decrease, and the hub
status of the airport (with its associated logistical and economic benefits)
will be lost.
Aviation Industry
2.5.2.8 Growth
in the aviation industry in
Chart 2.4: Summary
of Impacts to Airport and the Aviation Industry Resulting
from ‘Constrained’
Airport Operation
|
Constrained
Airport Operation |
1st tier impacts (Impacts that are expected to occur as an immediate result of
constrained airport operation) |
2nd tier impacts (Impacts that are expected to occur as a result of the 1st
tier impact) |
3rd tier impacts (Impacts that are expected to occur as a further consequence of
the 1st and 2nd tier impacts) |
Ultimate impact |
|||||||
|
When
all arrival and departure slots are full |
Limited
flexibility for handling service disruptions / delays Longer
time required to restore to normal operations after a disruption Deterioration
in the quality of airport services |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
|
Airlines
deploy larger aircraft to meet passenger / cargo demands Airlines
shrink the frequency of less profitable routes, or eliminate these
routes altogether Passengers
experience longer connection times and higher prices Passengers
switch to other airports to reach less profitable destinations Loss
of passenger and cargo business Airlines
focus on origin / destination traffic and reduce transfer / transit
traffic Loss
of transfer / transit passengers and cargo Loss
of ‘hub’ airport status |
|||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
|
Loss
of economic benefits associated with aviation industry growth Halt
in the growth of the aviation industry in Reduced
contribution to |
|||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
Resulting Impacts on Passengers
and Cargo
2.5.2.9 From
the perspective of airport users, the aforementioned implications on airport
and airline operations ultimately have a detrimental effect on activities that
are dependent on the airport. A summary of the impacts to passengers and cargo
is listed in Table 2.3.
Table 2.3: Summary of Impacts to Passengers and Cargo due to ‘Constrained’ Airport Operation
|
Impact associated with ‘constrained’ airport operation |
Impacts to Passengers |
Impacts to Cargo and Cargo-dependent Businesses |
|
Airport Operations |
|
|
|
Increased probability for disruptions due to less operational flexibility |
Greater likelihood of flight delays Increased risk of disruption to personal schedule |
Greater likelihood of delays in sending / receiving
goods Increased risk to
time-sensitive cargo (e.g. fresh meat, fruit and flowers) |
|
Longer time required to restore to normal operations after a disruption |
Greater likelihood of flight cancellation Longer waiting time for next available flight Increased risks of personal luggage damage or loss More crowded and disorderly experience at the
airport Personal / business time lost |
Greater likelihood of cargo not arriving at
intended destination Loss of perishable goods in waiting for next
available flight Increased risk of damage to cargo Loss of income to cargo-dependent businesses |
|
Airline Operations |
|
|
|
Preferential routing with associated reduction / loss of less popular routes / destinations |
Reduced choice of flight dates / times Less destinations with direct flights Less flexibility / longer wait time for connecting
flights Increased cost of flights |
Less flexibility in cargo scheduling More time required for cargo to reach destinations Increased cost to cargo company and cargo-dependent
businesses |
|
Switch to origin-and-destination routes with associated reduction in transit / transfer network |
Less opportunity to ‘stopover’ in Hong Kong Less choice for arranging own transit via |
Less options for routing of cargo Cargo companies may be forced to do business
through another airport instead Loss of business for |
|
Aviation Industry |
|
|
|
No / less new routes available |
Less choice for obtaining flights to new
destinations No direct flights available to new destinations Increased time required to reach new destinations |
Less options for routing cargo to new destinations Increased time and cost for airfreight to reach new
destinations Greater difficulty in competing with other (non-Hong
Kong based) cargo businesses for new business |
2.5.2.10 Table 2.3 highlights that all of the identified impacts
to airport and airline operations and the aviation industry will have knock-on
impacts to passengers, cargo and cargo-dependent businesses. While
international airlines and cargo businesses can re-organise their operations to
some extent to adjust to the constraints at HKIA, there is no such option for
Hong Kong based travellers or travellers to Hong Kong, who will be faced with
the only alternative of not travelling via HKIA. For those travellers who must
travel via HKIA, the quality of the airport experience that can be achieved
with a congested airport operating under constrained mode is unlikely to be
equivalent to the world class quality of services that HKIA has been
internationally recognised for since 2001.
2.5.3
2.5.3.1 History
has shown that whenever an international hub airport (such as London’s Heathrow
Airport and Tokyo’s Narita Airport) can no longer keep up with the air
traffic demand in the region, they inevitably surrender their leading air hub
position to other airports in their respective regions. Without the proposed airport expansion, HKIA’s
connectivity advantage and international hub position would eventually be lost
to neighbouring airports that go ahead with expansion plans. This has
implications on the overall competitiveness of
2.5.4 Environmental
Constraints
2.5.4.1 While
it is given that the absence of the project would not create any new
environmental impacts, the absence of the project may lead to a worsening of
the environmental performance in some areas, and would also severely constrain
the potential environmental improvements that can be accrued from operation of
HKIA. As described in Section
2.5.2, with an airport operating at full capacity, air traffic
congestion would increase, leading to increased holding times for take-off and
landing. This would increase aircraft emissions both on the ground (while
aircrafts wait for take-off, or wait for a vacant parking stand) and in the
local airspace (while aircrafts wait to land). An airport operating at full
capacity would also not have any spare capacity for preferential use of runways
and flight paths. Instead, flights on existing routes over populated areas
would only increase to capacity, thereby potentially worsening aircraft noise
impacts to populated areas. Other environmental improvements as described in Section 2.4.5 would
also not be realised in the absence of the project.
2.6.1.1 HKIA
has always been recognised as an important infrastructure asset supporting the
economic development of Hong Kong. When Kai Tak Airport began to experience
constrained operation, increasing adverse impacts to both the economy and the
environment (particularly in terms of noise) was apparent. Relocation of the
airport to Chek Lap Kok was a strategic decision to prevent long-term economic
loss as well as to improve the environmental quality of the urban Kowloon area.
This decision was pivotal to enabling the success that Hong Kong continues to
enjoy as one of the key players in the international arena for the economic
sectors of finance, trade, logistics, tourism and professional services. From
an environmental perspective, selection of the Chek Lap Kok location created
less environmental impacts overall compared to other viable options, hence the
Chek Lap Kok location was seen as the best way forward for both economic and
environmental reasons at the time.
2.6.1.2 As of 2013, HKIA continues to enjoy a pre-eminent
status as an international aviation hub ranked as the world’s
busiest international cargo airport since 1996
2.6.1.3 To
secure the continual growth of HKIA operation and to avoid the potential
impacts that may arise from constraining the operation of HKIA in the near
future, expansion of HKIA into a 3RS is
required. This would create additional benefits by enabling further
improvements to airport service quality; providing more choices to airport
users in addition to increased operational flexibility, which would permit
runway operations to better take into account the needs and concerns of nearby
residents. Expansion of HKIA would also provide a number of economic benefits
including increased direct and indirect employment, GDP contribution and Hong
Kong’s capture of the international business and trade markets. A number of
environmental improvements would also be realised including avoidance of night
time operations at the South Runway; increased flexibility on preferential
use of flight tracks to minimise aircraft noise impact to populated areas;
reduced aircraft taxiing and holding times to minimise aircraft emissions;
beneficial use of fill materials generated by other projects; and improvements
to the energy efficiency, water conservation and waste recycling at airport
buildings and facilities.
2.6.1.4 Given
that future air traffic demand is also dependent on a number of external
factors, a review of other key factors that may influence the future air
traffic demand in Hong Kong has been carried out, including the aircraft mix,
competition from high speed rail and optimisation of PRD airspace. The analysis
suggests that these external factors will not significantly affect or reduce
the projected air traffic demand in Hong Kong.
2.6.1.5 Alternatives to
meet future increasing air traffic demand besides the proposed airport expansion
were also considered. The option to optimise the 2RS which can only provide a short-term relief
is not a sustainable option. The notion of cooperation with neighbouring
airports to meet future air traffic demand is not viable, due to regulatory
constraints as well as passenger and cargo inconvenience, and provides next to
no economic benefit to Hong Kong.
2.6.1.6 It
is therefore concluded that there is a genuine need for the proposed project and that justification for the proposed 3RS, as opposed to other alternatives, has been demonstrated.
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