As a centre for international and regional trade, commerce and finance, Hong Kong values a good reputation as an air transport hub. The saga of the troubled introduction of the airport’s new but much-delayed HK$1.5 billion air-traffic control system is therefore of growing concern. The problem was highlighted yet again after the system suffered a technical failure during a test run in front of civil aviation officials and Civic Party legislator Jeremy Tam Man-ho.

The deputy director-general of civil aviation, Kevin Choi, later confirmed that the new Auto Trac III system began running very slowly during a test run late last month after air-traffic controllers had input data about the biennial Airshow China expo in Zhuhai. One air-traffic control source said screens had frozen, though Choi said only three controllers out of 50 working at the time were directly affected and they did not have to communicate with flights. Controllers switched to the old system.

It is not uncommon for teething problems to arise during hi-tech upgrades of critical infrastructure. But we are talking about a system to ensure safe operations at one of the world’s busiest airports that was supposed to come on line in 2012. The latest incident happened just before the new system was supposed to be switched on. Secretary for Transport and Housing Anthony Cheung Bing-leung ordered an internal investigation. Consultants National Air Traffic Service, which runs UK air navigation, will also conduct an independent probe.