Advertisement
Shenzhen airport third runway expansion sets up Greater Bay Area battle for the skies with Hong Kong
- Top economic planning body approves 9.35 billion yuan development, which will allow facility to handle 80 million passengers
- Hong Kong’s airport, which had 75 million passengers last year, is also adding a third runway in HK$144 billion move
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Shenzhen has been given approval to expand its airport and add a third runway, posing a longer-term challenge to neighbouring Hong Kong and straining the region’s already crowded airspace.
Advertisement
The central government’s National Development and Reform Commission gave Shenzhen’s plan the go ahead on Tuesday. It will cost 9.35 billion yuan (US$1.39 billion) and make the airport ready by 2030 to handle 80 million passengers annually, up from 49 million last year.
China’s top economic planning body said it approved the expansion to meet the needs of rapid growth in aviation, and accelerate construction of world class airports while promoting development.
A bigger Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, which has 155 non-stop passenger flights, would almost be on a par with Hong Kong for the number of routes available. However, Hong Kong International Airport, which is just 36km away, focuses more on major international destinations while the bulk of Shenzhen’s flights are domestic.
Advertisement
In February, Beijing unveiled its “Greater Bay Area” blueprint to link Hong Kong, Macau and nine Guangdong province cities, including Shenzhen and Guangzhou, into an economic powerhouse. Enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub forms part of the plan.
Advertisement