The only business jet terminal operator in the city said it did not need a competitor despite the Airport Authority contemplating a second private terminal at Chek Lap Kok.
The Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre (BAC), which is backed by Sun Hung Kai Properties, Kadoorie Group, China Southern Airlines and Signature Flight Support, has been witness to the booming business jet industry in the region. The number of jet movements handled by the BAC jumped to 7,000 last year from 350 when it started operating in 1998.
'Business aviation has taken off in Hong Kong over the past five to six years,' said Tony Miller, chairman of BAC, at the opening ceremony of its HK$170 million hanger yesterday. Located on the mainland's doorstep, mainland investors have taken up a major share of the 60 private jets registered in Hong Kong.
It is expected that the mainland will become the largest importer of private jets by 2018. BAC's third hangar, which can accommodate six private jets, will boost the operator's capacity by 55 per cent. However, the total parking space will remain the same as the new hangar has been built on the existing apron area.
BAC has struggled to find space to cope with rising demand for private jets as the airport is running out of land. After years of liaison with the Government Flying Service and the Fire Department for land. the BAC has been forced to accept the fact that it has to make the best of its existing resources to handle growth.
'We are facing a 'happy' challenge from the lack of parking space,' Miller said. 'We are making sure that the happy problem does not translate into unhappy customers.'
The number of remote parking spaces approved by the airport authority for private jets outside the BAC apron has been increased to 31 from 13 a few years ago. However, the arrangement has been under fire because the private jet operators have to spend several hours loading and unloading their jets from inaccessible parking spaces.