Hong Kong’s New Third Runway Opens as City Aims to Reclaim Aviation Hub Status

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Hong Kong: Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has officially launched its third runway on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in the city's efforts to reassert itself as a leading aviation hub in the post-pandemic era. Despite being one of the busiest airports globally, Hong Kong's recovery from the pandemic has lagged behind regional competitors like Singapore and South Korea in terms of passenger traffic.

At the commissioning ceremony, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee highlighted the airport’s expanded capacity, stating that the new runway will enable HKIA to handle up to 120 million passengers and 10 million tonnes of cargo annually by 2035. The addition of the third runway aims to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness and position it as a key player in regional aviation. The runway project, which began eight years ago, was a major infrastructure undertaking costing HK$142 billion (approximately $18 billion). It attracted attention for its environmental impact and sparked controversy over labor disputes and a corruption case involving subcontractors. Despite these challenges, the new runway is expected to provide a much-needed boost to the city’s aviation sector.

However, questions remain about whether the increased capacity will be fully utilized, as visitor arrivals are still below pre-pandemic levels. Hong Kong’s flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific, recently announced that it expects to return to 100 percent of pre-pandemic flight operations by January 2025. Lee also noted that the upgraded airport infrastructure will strengthen Hong Kong's connections with mainland Chinese cities, aligning with Beijing’s development strategy for the region, further enhancing Hong Kong’s role in the Greater Bay Area. As the global aviation industry continues its recovery, Hong Kong’s new runway is a key component of its strategy to reclaim its position as a dominant aviation hub in Asia.