Authorities have an eight-hour window to shift operations – no easy feat, as Hongkongers have learnt
After months of trial runs, Shenzhen's airport shuts at 10pm tonight and will shift operations to its new terminal, with the first flight due to depart just before 8am tomorrow.
As any Hong Kong official can tell you, moving airports is a tricky affair. But a smooth handover would go far in convincing the public the Shenzhen operator can become - as it hopes - China's preferred hopping-off point for short flights in Southeast Asia.
Although airport authorities have not said how many trucks and staff will be involved in the relocation, they maintain the eight hours allotted will be enough. With the move, the airport will permanently close its three existing passenger areas - terminals A and B, and Hall D, and direct all traffic through its 8.5 billion yuan (HK$10.74 billion) new terminal, beginning at 6am tomorrow.
Hong Kong's overnight relocation from Kai Tak to Chek Lap Kok was fluid - at first. It was only after the new passenger and cargo terminals opened for business at dawn that the best-laid plans began to unravel when the airport's central computer system grounded to a halt.
That left the airport without the information it needed to operate baggage handling, tarmac parking and flight information displays. The botched move made headlines around the world, and overshadowed an otherwise proud moment.