WORSENING congestion at Kai Tak airport has forced the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) to encourage airlines to use unpopular early morning slots and wide-bodied planes while maximising seat space.
A CAD spokesman yesterday said estimates showed the airport would reach its capacity by the end of this year, handling 24 million passengers, or about 5,000 an hour.
The situation has been compounded by new rush-hour peaks of 28 planes landing and taking off each hour, sometimes stretching up to the safe capacity of 33 when delays cause ''bunching''.
''It's all about easing the strains,'' the spokesman said.
''We think with these moves we could be able to extend the capacity to between 25 million and 26 million.
''This should last us through until 1998, when we can move into the bigger, grander Chek Lap Kok.'' However airlines, who have been told no more peak hour slots remain, are said to be reluctant for commercial reasons to stage flights between 6 am and 10 am.