The swank new SkyPlaza, featuring more transit, retail and entertainment facilities, will help make Hong Kong International Airport a destination in its own right (artist impression)

The multi award winning Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) will reach a new benchmark of excellence following a HK$4.5 billion (US$578 million) upgrade.

The announcement follows a spectacular year of growth for the airport in which new records were set in all traffic sectors - passengers, cargo and aircraft movements - and 10 new airlines began operation. In another high point of 2005, HKIA was again voted by passengers as the world's best airport, for the fifth consecutive year.

Projected strong continued growth had fuelled the latest upgrade, Airport Authority Chief Executive David Pang said. Last year, the airport handled 40.74 million passengers and 3.4 million tons of cargo, up 9.7 per cent and 9.9 per cent respectively from 2004. When the major works are finished in 2010, HKIA's annual throughput capacity will have increased to more than 50 million passengers and more than 4.3 million tons of cargo.

The upgrade will include a HK$3 billion (US$386 million) investment in the airfield, providing 10 additional cargo stands and taxiways to enhance operational efficiency. Widening of the taxiways and parking bay servicing facilities will facilitate the operation of new giant A380 aircraft at HKIA.

Building for the future

Extreme Screen, opening in July at Hong Kong International Airport, will give cinemagoers an unmatched level of special effects entertainment (artist impression)

Further improvements are planned for the passenger terminal. Key projects will include a revamp of the arrivals concourse to give passengers an open view of the aircraft apron, and numerous extra facilities to streamline the increasing passenger flow. A new concourse will be built to support the movement of small aircraft.

In addition, five new parking stands tailored for low fare carriers and other carriers that require quick turnaround are under construction and will be ready for operation in April.

Airport Managing Director Howard Eng said all these projects are essential to the airport's continuous growth, with more small aircraft operating at HKIA and the coming into service of jumbo A380 aircraft in the middle of the year.

The enhancements will tie in with the opening in July of SkyPlaza, which will house HKIA's second passenger terminal, a coach station for cross-boundary routes, and 35,000 sq. m. of retail, catering and entertainment areas. An anchor attraction of SkyPlaza will be the world's first 4D cinema, Extreme Screen. Boasting Asia's largest cinema screen - over four stories high - this joint project involving the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA), Multiplex Cinema Limited (MCL) and SimEx-Iwerks, the world leader in three-dimensional special effects entertainment, Extreme Screen will provide a sensory cinematic experience unlike anything cinema goers have ever encountered.

SkyPlaza is part of HKIA's SkyCity master plan, which also features AsiaWorld-Expo, a four-star hotel, a golf course and cross boundary ferry pier. When fully completed, these additions are designed to HKIA an attractive destination in its own right.

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