Advertisement
Advertisement
Letters | Three ways to make Hong Kong airport fly: Singapore’s Changi has shown how
- Chek Lap Kok should be promoted for its good connections to other modes of transport within the Greater Bay Area
- On-arrival visas for the Pearl River Delta hub could be another attraction
I refer to your April 23 editorial, “Hong Kong’s airport must meet the challenges of regional competition”.
With challenges posed by the rapid expansion of nearby airports and the popularisation of the point-to-point model (where airlines directly connect two smaller destinations with narrow-body aircraft) as opposed to the hub-and-spoke model (where passengers connect via a large hub, for example, Hong Kong), it is imperative that Hong Kong’s airport adopts proactive measures.
To begin with, promote Hong Kong not only as an aviation hub, but also for its high connectivity with other modes of transport. Hong Kong International Airport needs to better leverage its proximity to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the established SkyPier. Better connecting options to the West Kowloon high-speed rail station and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal should also be made available to visitors.
Secondly, upgrade the hardware. Compared with the Jewel which opened recently at Singapore’s Changi Airport, featuring an indoor forest and waterfall, Hong Kong’s failed North Satellite Concourse and Midfield Concourse look like uncoordinated sandcastles. The authority needs to step up in ensuring on-time completion of the third runway and initiating new, coordinated enhancement projects.
Furthermore, build Hong Kong as the airport of choice for transit passengers. This means optimal flight schedules, world-class dining and leisure facilities, and comprehensive promotions.
Ideas such as providing cash vouchers to transit passengers, as Changi does, and offering on-arrival mainland China visas to tourists can be explored. For instance, allowing seven-day visa-free travel in the Greater Bay Area would be an attractive option for overseas travellers to Hong Kong who could then transfer to mainland ferry services. It is high time that Hong Kong International Airport tried harder to regain its lost glamour.
Felix Yung, Shek Tong Tsui
Post