Hong Kong Intl airport to open third runway on Nov 28

HONG KONG -- The three-runway system at the Hong Kong International Airport will go into service on Nov. 28, boosting the city's aviation industry, a local official said Tuesday.

The new system will enable the airport to handle 120 million passenger trips and 10 million tons of cargo annually, said Michael Wong, deputy financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, at the opening ceremony of the Super Terminal Expo.

The airport handled 45 million passenger trips and 4.5 million tons of cargo during the previous financial year.

Wong expects the new system to generate considerable returns and make Hong Kong a stronger aviation hub.

Construction of the system began in August 2016. It is complete with a 3,800-meter runway, a new concourse, an automated people mover system, and a baggage handling system.

The three-day Super Terminal Expo started on Tuesday will showcase the latest developments in the aviation and transportation industries worldwide. It brings together around 2,000 participants and 100 exhibitors, as well as over 60 buyers including Singapore's Changi Airport, Tokyo's Haneda Airport, and the Incheon International Airport in Seoul.